Fixing The Broken
by Complicated Days
Summary: Eddie Castile, a care-free and good-humored Guardian had been assigned to Noel Tarus, a bossy yet incredibly vulnerable Royal Moroi. When sparks fly between them from their first encounter, how would they deal with their undeniable attraction?
1. Introductions!

**Hello! **

**Oh, and if you've started reading this, there's no way back. DON'T even attempt to press the backspace key to return to the previous page, or DON'T attempt to close this tab. -takes out a gun and shoots anybody who tries to escape-**

**Okay, now that that's taken care of...**

**This is a series of stories, starting from the one that I'm working on now, which is Fixing the Broken. There are 4 stories in total, (I might just decide to add on to it with the other minor characters in the stories, but that's the number I've decided on so far) all of which will have the beloved characters in Vampire Academy that ended up without a pairing when Last Sacrifice ended.**

**In this introduction, you'll find a short summary of what Fixing the Broken is about, along with a (sexy?) excerpt that will show you what you can expect in this story. Young readers be advised! There WILL be explicit content, along with coarse language and... humor. Oh, and occasional rants from me when I can't find enough inspiration to continue going. **

**Like I mentioned, the four characters from the Vampire Academy novel that will be featured here are...**

**Eddie Castile**

**Adrian Ivashkov (Yay!)**

**Jill Maestro**

**Mia Rinaldi**

**Currently, I'm still debating whether or not to change the rating to M. Right now, I can actually begin a different story that will contain all those explicit scenes, and you guys will have to refer to that if you want to read it. So this whole looooong story remains rated as T. Any advice would be welcomed! **

**So, here you go, as promised.**

**The summary for Fixing the Broken.**

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><p><em>A Guardian who has schooled himself to not let emotions get the better of him...<em>

Eddie Castile, a care-free and good-humored Guardian on the outside, was actually fighting to stay sane after his best friend, Mason Ashford, died in an encounter with the Strigois. The only way he had learnt to do so was to keep his emotions at bay, controlling them strictly and never letting them get the better of him. After all, Mason had died due to a spur of emotion. However, all the walls he had erected threatened to collapse once he met Noel Tarus...

_Meets a Moroi who has trouble keeping her cool... _

Noel Tarus detested being controlled, preferring to be the boss of her own actions. The only problem? She specialized in the element fire, which seemed to cause her to lose control of herself totally whenever she went into a rage. Resenting the fact that she had been assigned Eddie as her Guardian, she wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. However, from their first encounter, sparks flew between them; the attraction white-hot and undeniable. Will she give in to the attraction and allow her Guardian to teach her the art of controlling herself... or let the growing flames of her anger engulf her totally?

_only to find that he will do everything within his power - even breaking his code of conduct - to possess her. _

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><p><strong>An excerpt from Fixing the Broken.<strong>

"Lesson one to self-control," Eddie said softly, deliberately drawing out each syllabus as he flicked off the light switch. The room was bathed in darkness a second later. "is to not let anything affect you more than it should." When he finished the sentence, he lobbed a warm cucumber he had pilfered from the kitchen over to where Noel was sitting rigidly at the corner of her bed.

The moment the vegetable came into contact with her chest – bull's eye! – Noel gave a loud shriek and scrambled back till she had her back against the headboard of her bed. The cucumber rolled off the bed, landing on the ground with a thump. Eddie chuckled at her dramatic reaction. "You just failed the first test."

"Y-You didn't give me a warning!" Voice quavering with fear and something else Eddie couldn't exactly decipher, Noel rubbed a hand over her breasts where the cucumber had collided with skin. His breath hitched at that sight, his hand shaking to caress that creamy skin that her night gown couldn't cover. And everything else that it covered as well. "W-What was t-that?" Uncertainty laced her voice, a rosy red blush fanning across her cheeks.

"What _do _you think it was?" Eddie questioned without missing a beat, aware of the innuendo of his words. Still, he couldn't help himself. Not after he had deprived himself of any skin to skin contact with his charge for so long. He craved a touch; a kiss. Anything to soothe the frothing desire inside of him. Lowering his voice to a husky whisper, he continued, "What do you want it to be?"

"N-Nothing," She whispered back, her head shaking in blatant denial, sending her brown curls swinging. "Go on to lesson two." Her finger still circled the valley between her breasts, as if not quite comprehending what had just happened. Eddie's stomach clenched as a new wave of desire crashed over him, making his knees weak.

His dick, on the other hand, was getting anything but weak.

Taking a deep breath to regain his composure – or whatever he could salvage of it – Eddie walked forward, covering the forbidden distance between them. Noel stilled entirely, hearing his approach. "Go back! You promised to not – "

"I guess I did," Eddie rasped, his eyes riveted to the scanty night gown she was wearing. _Why the hell is she still wearing that piece of fabric? _"But what I didn't tell you is that the moment you fail one of my tests, the promises are off."

Her eyes widened; enrapturing emerald eyes that could beguile him to do whatever she wanted him to. He was quickly becoming a slave to her, a mindless servant that will cater to her every whim. And Eddie couldn't seem to find a single flaw in that concept, his mind shrouded by the sensual fog that hindered any rational thinking.

_Rational? _That was the last thing on his agenda right now. Oh, and something just reached the top of his to-do-list.

Noel.

"You can't change the rules without my consent!" Noel blabbered rapidly, retreating further across the bed to put as much distance as possible between them. "I forbid you to come any closer!"

A slumbering instinct within Eddie gave a great yawn and woke up at the promise of a challenge to get a girl to drop her defenses. If Noel thought to stop his advances by building up walls, he would revel in tearing them down and finally revealing the soft core of her. "Fine, I'll follow your rules then." He answered, feigning reluctance when he was actually gearing up for what laid ahead.

Noel squinted her eyes in suspicion at his easy surrender. A few long seconds dragged by. "Good," She finally huffed out, as if irritated by how he had heeded her words without putting up a fight. Could she be… disappointed that he had not made a move on her?

Fighting back a chuckle that earned a glare from Noel, Eddie smiled. "Now, lesson two." He paused, putting up a fine act of hesitating for a few moments before raising an eyebrow at Noel. "I'm afraid this isn't working."

Noel almost jumped up from her spot on the bed, looking distraught and oh so adorable. "What? Why?" She all but demanded, looking genuinely puzzled and frustrated.

"This," Eddie made a sweeping gesture with his hand, indicating the room. "We're lacking something for lesson two."

She relaxed visibly, resting her back against the fluffy pillows again. "What are we so _sorely _missing, then?" She asked sarcastically, imitating his voice.

"Music," Eddie winked at her, causing Noel to avert his gaze even as a smile tilted up the sides of her lips. "Ambience."

Keeping her back towards him as she pretended to inspect her nails, she asked, "Why would we need that?"

"Because we can't proceed with lesson two without the required ambience," Eddie answered, his voice taking on a tint of suggestiveness. Ah heck, who was he kidding? A bucketful was more like it. Still, it had the desired effect. Noel froze, her eyes darting to his face, her teeth nibbling on her bottom lip unconsciously.

Eddie had never ever came in his pants before, but he was precariously close to that now. The sight of her lush lips…

"Why not?" Her voice was so soft, Eddie almost missed it. If that wasn't an invitation, then Eddie didn't know what was.

"I'll show you exactly why not…"


	2. EddieNoel 1!

**A/N : **Alright! This is a story between Eddie Castile and Noel Tarus. (yeah, I couldn't think of any character that would fit Eddie well at all) Along the way, I would also hint at some other characters' matches and some other action with Dimitri, Rose, Lissa and Christian to make the storyline better. If you have any suggestions as to who I should do next, leave a review and tell me!

Or if you just have any comments, leave a review too! Greatly appreciated, thanks. :)

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><p>Eddie Castile was not amused.<p>

Okay, maybe he was. Just slightly, though. He did not approve of his friend, Rosemarie Hathaway's methods of waking him up. Somehow, she had managed to slip pass the locked door and firmly shut windows to set up her own version of a series of 'unfortunate' events to greet him when he woke up. And damn, it had worked. _To perfection too, _he added bitterly as he surveyed his attire and the destruction that lay strewn across the parquet flooring of his room.

When his eyelids had flittered open, he had a sense of foreboding that he had long ago associated with the many antics Rose was so fond of. This morning, apparently, was no exception. His eyes had darted around the room in a futile attempt to spot what was out of place. When he had merely lifted his head to further inspect what she had in store for him this time, it had already set off an irreversible chain of reactions. The lifting of his head had conveniently removed the weight that set the pillow in place, causing it to fly upwards due to a pulley system that was impressively hidden away from his trained eyes.

Before he could even start to comprehend what was happening, his hand had snapped out to reach for his silver stake – a reaction ingrained so deeply into him it did not even require any hesitation – only for his fingers to curl around something foreign and light, nothing like the stake he had grew so accustomed to. Nevertheless, he did not even flick it a glance while he pulled at it as he was desperately trying to uncover what the other end of the pulley system entailed for him.

Big, fucking mistake.

The 'stake' was actually a lever of some sort, and when he pulled it, a bucket of water perched precariously on the top shelf – which he realized, with utmost dismay, was devoid of the many books he had collected over the years – toppled over and doused him with the most frigid water he had ever encountered in his (short?) lifespan.

Spluttering incoherently, he did not even have the time to prepare himself for the packet of flour that collided onto his head at the other end of the pulley system, causing the thin paper – the only barrier that stood between his wet clothes and what would ultimately be his demise – to tear from the impact, raining flour over his drenched clothes.

Fuck.

So there he stood, Eddie Castile, wet and covered in flour, seething with anger.

"Good morning, Eddie." Rose's familiar, breezy voice called out from outside the glass window of his room. "Heard a commotion, everything alright in there?"

Scowling, Eddie swept the heavy, ebony curtains aside with a rough jerk of his hand to reveal Rose's cheery, grinning face. Sunlight streamed in through the window, causing him to flinch from the unwanted intrusion. She wore her usual attire, a T-shirt and a pair of jeans but still managed to look as beautiful and composed as ever. Her long, dark mahogany hair was tied back in a hasty ponytail.

"You did this." A statement, not a question.

Rose shrugged, not bothering to deny the accusation. "Looking a little pale today, aren't you?"

"Fuck you."

Her grin got impossibly wider. "I have Dimitri for a reason."

Eddie's lips twitched despite himself. He could never stay angry at Rose for reasons he could not begin to fathom. Maybe it's because she had went through as much as he did when one of their friends, Mason, had died. Maybe it's because he treated her as the sister he had always yearned for. Either way, the last vestiges of his anger drained away. "You ready for today?"

"How can I not be? I've been waiting for it for _ages."_

Eddie and Rose, along with the rest of the Guardians would get their assignment that day. Rose had already been ensured a position as Lissa's Guardian so she had no reason to worry. It was a job that she couldn't wait to jump into and be with her best friend for the rest of their lives. Eddie wasn't sure about his assignment though; his future still lay shrouded in uncertainty. After the little fiasco involving him, Rose and Lissa to break Victor Dashkov out of jail, most of the offers made by interested royal families had been retracted.

Rose studied Eddie's expression and whatever she saw must have alerted her on his inner turmoil for she offered a few words of comfort. "Don't worry, Eddie. You'll definitely get a great assignment."

Eddie blinked a few times, dragging himself out of his reverie and looked at Rose. "I hope so too, Rose." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I hope so too."

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><p>Noel Tarus gave a small grunt of frustration. The sweltering heat did little to improve her already sullen mood and she searched for something to vent her anger on. Something. <em>Anything. <em>Her father had brought her to the Vampire Academy to find her a 'worthy Guardian', which in order words meant 'a-Guardian-that-can-withstand-her-tantrums-and-not-go-insane-and-attempt-suicide'. So far, none had managed to even survive the first week. Not that she could blame them, she did whatever was within her power – and sometimes, whatever was necessary – to get rid of them.

If they went insane in the process, tough luck.

She despised being ordered around and it seems that one of the requirements of being a Guardian is to order the Moroi they protect around. She would never allow that, _never._ Her father, however, never quite saw things from her perspective. She thrived on independence and never wanted anybody's help, much less protection.

She could take care of herself, thank you very much.

So what if she couldn't defend herself with a silver stake? She specialized in fire anyway, she could easily burn any Strigoi who were foolish enough to try to nibble on her carotid artery. So what if she would be single for the rest of her life? After seeing her friends get dumped by their boyfriends and never managing to get over it, forever brooding and mourning their losses, she had strengthened her resolve to never get emotionally involved with anybody. No exceptions.

Her wandering gaze settled on a Moroi couple sitting on a bench, cuddled and snuggled up. Narrowing her eyes, she stalked over to them and tapped the girl on her shoulder. When she didn't respond but continue to kiss her partner, Noel tugged at her hand impatiently.

"What?" The girl snapped and glared at Noel.

Noel's eyes flittered from the enraged girl at being interrupted to the boy who was casting appreciative glances her way. Yep, definitely a cheater. She had to tamp down a wave of rising resentment and smiled sweetly at the girl. "Is that your boyfriend over there?"

"Yes," She frowned and snaked a possessive arm around his waist. "What do you want?"

"Well," Noel feigned outrage and jabbed an accusing finger at the boy. "Your boyfriend over there had his tongue in my mouth just yesterday!"

"What?" The boy yelped in surprise and threw his hands up in a vain attempt to prove his innocence. "Delilah, believe me, I did no su-"

"You cheater!" The girl named Delilah shrieked, slapping the flabbergasted boy with her hand and his head whipped to the side from the impact. Angry red imprints of her fingers where it landed surfaced and the boy rubbed it, wincing. Even then, he was still trying to coax Delilah to calm down. "I'm not lying, I would never cheat on you, Delilah!"

Noel watched the action unfold with a satisfied smirk.

Delilah stormed away without a backward glance.

The boy's attention turned to Noel, and oh boy, was he fuming. "You…" A fire ignited in his eyes and his whole body radiated rage and fury. "I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"Shit, shit, shit." Noel backed away slowly, eyes wide with horror. She should have run away the moment she had the chance, but nooooo. She had to stay and watch and she only had herself to blame if she was mauled to death by him. "Let's talk about this."

"Fuck you!" He snarled and lunged forward, menacing purpose burning in his eyes. His outstretched handsgrabbed her elbows and pushed her to the ground. The cry for help and mercy got lodged in her throat as Noel watched, wide-eyed, while the boy raised his arm and poised his fist for maximum damage to her face. Then it came plummeting down and she closed her eyes to wait for the contact that would forever remind her never to evoke the wrath of an angry lover.

But it never came.

The weight of the boy's body that had pinned her to the ground lifted off her, much to her protesting arms' relief. Opening her eyes just slightly, she found herself looking at the most gentle, hazel eyes gazing back at her in concern. Opening her eyes fully, she realized that the beautiful eyes belonged to a boy about her age, with unruly raven hair that was in disarray. She was dimly aware of that boy speaking to her, but his voice seemed far away as she peered in fascination at his lush, red lips parting and closing as he spoke. What would it be like to run her fingers over the edges? What would it be like to kis-

"Hey, you alright?" His voice was clearer now, and startled her awake from her fantasy. "Her eyes are clearing! You alright?"

Blushing from her wild thoughts, she nodded furiously and tried to push herself up to her feet. Immediately, pain struck her at her elbow and she cringed from the intensity. "I-I think my elbow's injured."

Brown Eyes hurried over to her side, showering her elbow with attention. It was just a light scratch and blood oozed out of it slowly, almost languidly. Still, he treated it with gentleness Noel would never associate with a boy that had such chiseled features and a leanly muscled body that was made to inflict damage. With that thought, another slow blush crept up her cheeks. What was wrong with her? She had never been affected so much by another's touch before. Wherever he touched, she tingled with sensation and her body demanded more. All too soon, he had cleaned her wound and plastered it.

"That should do it." He nodded in approval at his handiwork and stood up, offering a hand to her. When Noel hesitated, he arched an eyebrow and inclined his head questioningly to the side. Blushing once again – damn it, why does he keep making her blood burn? – She accepted his help and let him pull her to her feet. "How's everything going, Rose?" He asked with a look behind his broad shoulders.

Rose? Noel scanned her surroundings and found a curvy, brown haired girl grasping the arm of her attacker who stood glaring at her. An immediate foreign emotion coursed through her veins as she gave the girl a once over. She had lightly tanned skin – a dhampir? – and exotic features which made her stunningly gorgeous. Her fists clenched unconsciously as she glanced at Brown Eyes who was looking at Rose for affirmation. Was Rose his girlfriend? If so, she wo-

Wait, what's going on with her? When did she start to feel so possessive about a boy she had only just met? It must be because it had been a long time since she had interacted with someone else, she assured herself half-heartedly. She needed a good night's sleep, that's it.

"Yeah, guy didn't even put up a fight." Rose snorted with a regal flourish of her hand. Noel's attacker growled, but stopped when Rose glared at him. Did she hear a whimper? Just able to suppress a bubble of laughter, she shifted her gaze to Brown Eyes who was keeping the items from the First Aid Kit he had somehow produced from the little bag he carried. She couldn't help but admire the fluid movement of his hands and made quick work of the items strewn haphazardly across the ground.

"Alright, we have to get moving. Don't wanna be late for the assignment, do we?" Brown Eyes muttered as he stuffed the kit into his bag and cast Rose a glance. Rose nodded and released the boy's hands and gave him a shove, causing him to stumble. Noel was starting to like her, even as a feminine part of her called her a bitch for some reason she couldn't understand.

Rose sauntered past her and gave her a little nod before continuing her way to the main assembly hall where his father was at. Could she be a Guardian as well? Might explain how she managed to subdue her attacker so easily…

"What's your name?"

Noel almost jumped in shock and turned to find herself face to face with Brown Eyes. He looked expectantly at her. Striving for nonchalance that she did not feel, she folded her arms and leaned against the wall.

"Do you just ask any girl you see for her name?" She asked. Ah, now that sounded more like the old her.

He eyed her with open amusement. "Not really, but I could make an exception for you."

Hah! Who would have guessed, a smooth talker. Coupled with his good looks, he could definitely score girls without even trying. "What if I don't want to give you my name? I might not give my name to just any stranger I see."

"Stranger?" He laid a hand over his chest dramatically. "You wound me. I helped to bandage your injury."

True. "You did it on your free will, I don't need to give anything in return."

"Oh, so you want it that way." His eyes twinkled with an emotion she couldn't quite place. Even as he spoke, he leaned in and ate up most of the space that separated them until he was just a breath away. "What if I demand payment for my help just now? Would I get it?"

His breath, hot and decadent, made her legs weak and her pulse to jump into overdrive. Damn it! Why does he have to affect her so? "No?" It came out more like a question than a statement and she mentally kicked herself for how unconvincing she sounded. Brown Eyes chuckled merrily, the sound like a warm caress against her skin. He stepped backwards and her body moaned at the loss of his body heat. Still refusing to show any signs of weakness, Noel stood her ground and leveled his gaze.

"Let us have a trade then, I tell you my name and you tell me yours." He compromised.

She nodded in agreement. "You go first."

"Do you doubt my sincerity?" Brown Eyes lifted an eyebrow. "You never cease to wound me. My name is Eddie. And what about you?"

Eddie. Noel longed to test how his name would roll off her lips but stopped herself before she embarrassed herself further. Now that she knew his name but he didn't know hers, she had power over him. No matter how little, she still considered it an advantage. "I'm not telling you my name."

Eddie frowned. "But you agreed."

"You would soon grow to learn that an agreement means nothing."

He shrugged, and turned away from her. "Fine, don't tell me your name."

"Wh-What?" Noel stuttered, surprised by his reaction. He was supposed to beg her for her name, damn it! Not ignore her like he didn't want to know her name. The fact that he found her name so insignificant struck her deep and she didn't like it. "Don't you want to know?"

"It matters little to me." He walked away leisurely and raised a hand in a gesture of farewell. "See you around, then."

Anger and hurt mingled together in Noel's stomach, blending together to form a potent mixture. Gritting her teeth, she shouted, "My name is Noel! Noel Tarus!"

Eddie's footsteps faltered slightly and she took satisfaction in that. He probably didn't expect her to be a Royal and now that he knew, she _had_ power over him. He could very well be a lowly Moroi.

He turned around slowly and there was a weird fire dancing in his eyes which he masked quickly. He grinned slowly, a lopsided grin that made her melt like ice in the desert. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Noel Tarus." With that, he pivoted on his heel and left Noel to her own devices.

Disappointment poured over her in waves as she gaped at the rapidly diminishing back of Eddie. She had announced that she was a Royal and he had _walked away. _As if it didn't mean anything! She didn't exactly know what she had been expecting, but it definitely did not include walking away like she was disposable. Cursing under her breath, she stormed back into the assembly area to meet up with her father. Hopefully, he had already picked up a Guardian for her to unleash hell upon.

May God help him or her.


	3. EddieNoel 2!

**A/N : Poor Victor :(**

**Anyway, review please! **

**Oh and another thing, please tell me what other characters you would like me to work on. Right now, I have Adrain, Eddie and Jill in mind. Any others? **

**That's all, read and enjoy!**

**P.S : It's Adrian, not Victor, fuck. Please replace all Victors with Adrians if I left any out while editing. Fuck, fuck, fuck.**

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><p>Adrian Ivashkov looked out from the arched glass windows of his room, or some others might call it, a 'fucking palace' while he nursed the glass of vodka in his hand. He always made sure he had a bottle handy just in case the hurt of Rose's rejection returned to plague him – with vengeance. From his vantage point, he had a spectacular view of the proceedings of the assignment to the newly graduated Guardians. No surprise, his parents wanted him to get a Guardian of his own to ensure his safety whenever he went out to drink himself to oblivion.<p>

His brain, hindered by the effect of the alcohol dancing wildly in his veins, took a long time to process the irritating beeping sound emitting from a rectangular object vibrating on top of a glass table. After another moment, he managed to stumble over to the accursed contraption which rang relentlessly, beckoning for him to smash it to smithereens or to answer the call.

He did neither.

Before he even touched the phone, the doorbell rang, adding to the crescendo resounding in his addled brain. _Fuck, what is this? Some fucking concert? _Victor swore and rubbed his throbbing temple, trying to ease the pain as he rejected the call on his cell and staggered over to the door, tripping over the carpet in the process. The string of obscenities that left his mouth ratcheted up a notch as he flung the door open.

"Jesus, Victor, you look like shit." Christian Ozera peered at him with his azure eyes, taking in his appearance. Christian is Lissa's boyfriend, or soon-to-be husband. He had on a formal dark suit which complemented his midnight hair extremely well.

"Thanks for the reminder." Adrian drawled, raking a hand through his already messy bed hair. "If that's all you have to say, I'll like you to leave me alone."

"No can do," Christian shook his head. "Your mother asked me to fetch you to the assignment for your own Guardian."

Adrian groaned, scrubbing a hand down his weathered face. "I don't need a damned Guardian."

Amusement twinkled in his friend's eyes. "Circumstances prove otherwise, my friend. Now hurry up before I drag you out."

"You don't have the strength to." He grumbled but complied anyway, knowing there was no way out of it. Maybe after he had picked a Guardian, his parents would finally leave him alone to drown his sorrow in more alcohol. Well, a guy can hope, can't he? Christian chuckled and checked his phone.

"I'll be back in 15 to escort you down." He said, shoving his phone back into the pocket of his perfectly ironed pants.

"I don't need help to get to the Assembly Hall that's hardly a minute walk away."

Christian folded his arms over his chest. "Are you sure? You look like you can hardly talk, much less walk down a flight of stairs without becoming a cripple for life."

"I'll live." Adrian answered with a dismissive wave of his hand as he retrieved several clothing strewn across the ground. "Go back to your Lissa, she's probably having trouble deciding on what to wear."

"Hah, that's the least of her problems for this occasion." Christian grinned, tilting his head downwards to check how the proceedings were going through the glass windows. "She has to make a speech of some sort, and she has no idea what to talk about."

Lissa, more formally known as Vasilisa Dragomir, had been elected as Queen after the passing on of the former Queen, Tatiana, who was also Adrian's aunt. She had been staked by Christian's aunt, Tasha Ozera, who was still in jail and in the process of being charged for murder. Christian had recovered miraculously quickly from the betrayal, perhaps due to Lissa's unwavering care and attention for him. _Love conquers all_, Victor thought bitterly as he trudged to his bathroom.

When Adrian gave no reply, Christian took it as a sign for him to leave. "See you then, Adrian. Don't take too long, it will commence in approximately half an hour." With that, he closed the door and Adrian once again found himself alone.

Very, _very_ alone.

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><p>Eddie fidgeted uncomfortably in the formal attire of a Guardian which comprised of a black shirt and long pants, with a snug – guess the color? – coat as the finishing touch. Put him in the wilderness and ask him to survive for a year, fine. Pit him against an army of Strigois with just his bare fists, no problem. But make him look like the Black Power Ranger in front of all the royal families?<p>

No fucking way.

Still, he didn't want to stir up any trouble and forced his anger to simmer down. It is after all, a short proceeding that would end in about an hour. All he had to do was stand still and smile while the rich bastards poked and prodded at him like he's some sort of primed meat for sale in a market.

Sure, no fucking problem.

As if sensing the directions of his thoughts, Rose smiled at him. "It's not that bad." Rose was standing next to him, dressed in a similar black-as-soot clothing. Still, she somehow managed to retain her beauty and look as elegant as ever.

Eddie sighed. "I just want to get this over with."

"Of course," Rose said before looking at him with a sparkle in her dark eyes. "Who was that girl you were talking with just now?"

Involuntarily, an image of Noel popped up in Eddie's mind and he shook his head roughly as if to dislodge it. Sure, she was gorgeous. Sure, he was strangely attracted to her. But she was a royal for god sakes. "Just another girl that caught my eye." He answered vaguely. Well, technically, that was the truth. Just that he didn't mention how she made his blood burn with arousal and passion.

Rose studied him and he had to force himself to remain indifferent throughout her perusal. "You're a bad liar. You know that right, Eddie?" She whispered, the twinkle in her eye remaining in place.

"I'm not lying."

"Sure, and I'm the tooth fairy."

Eddie grinned. "That would explain a lot of things."

Rose punched him on the shoulder. "You're avoiding the question."

Eddie shrugged. "I don't know her, and I probably won't see her ever again. What's the use of talking about her?"

Rose opened her mouth to reply but the familiar voice of Lissa blared over the speakers, cutting her short. "Welcome to the Assignment Ceremony, everyone. Please make your way to the Assembly Plaza and we would begin shortly."

Immediately, there was a bustle of activity as Morois of all ages and heritages came streaming into the hall, filling up the seats. Chatters and greetings filled the air and the hall slowly filled to its maximum capacity. The Royals had the front rows and the best view of the Guardians that were to be assigned. Absently, Eddie scanned the crowd for Noel's face and when he couldn't discern her in the swelling crowd, he fought down a wave of disappointment.

What's wrong with him?

Before he had a chance to figure out the weird feelings he had for Noel, Lissa entered the hall with a regal and royal air. Chatters and conversations instantly ceased as eyes swiveled to her, transfixed. Dressed in a strapless, black form-hugging dress, she exuded sensuality and confidence with each step she took. Her blond hair cascaded down her shoulders and ended in curls around her waist, striking the perfect contrast against her midnight dress. The spectrum of colors filtered by the colored, arched glass windows at the ceiling of the hall bathed her figure, paying tribute to her pale skin which glowed almost luminously.

In a single word, breathtaking.

Eddie could almost hear the collective intake of breath as Lissa took the limelight, sauntering in with her chin held high, Christian by her side. Well, at least it looked like Christian. _He cleans up real good, _Eddie mused as he studied Lissa's prospective husband. Standing at six foot two, he towered over Lissa and had a mope of dark hair that was now combed backwards, revealing his stunning crystal blue eyes. The couple had obviously discussed about matching attires for he was dressed in a sleek black suit that screamed money.

The Guardians that flanked them stopped near the middle of the aisle and let them trade pleasantries with the crowd. Most of the Morois present had only heard of Lissa's mystical abilities as she controlled Spirit, a rare element to have power over. Spirit had only been recently revealed to the rest of the society, causing people to fawn over Lissa's abilities and support her rule. After her coronation to become Queen, Lissa had utilized her power and changed several old and redundant rules to better benefit the current society. The change had been well received by the younger generation, while other older Royals regarded the change as a challenge to the ancient laws and singled out her as a traitor. Still, despite the many obstinate problems, Lissa had emerged strong and victorious, proving to be a capable and competent leader.

"Everybody," The single word spoken by Lissa resounded in the complex and everybody snapped to attention. Eddie couldn't quite understand how she could fully gain everyone's attention. Perhaps it was her Spirit at work, or it was just her charisma. Either way, you would feel _compelled _to listen to her every word the moment she spoke. "We are here today to behold the graduation of our qualified and distinguished Guardians of the Vampire Academy. I'm supposed to give a long, boring speech about how far they have all come and the hardships they had to endure, but I'm sure that the many events leading up to this day speak for themselves. So without further ado, let the Assignment Ceremony commence!"

The festivities kicked back into gear and Eddie heaved a sigh of relief. The reaction was mutual for the rest of the Guardians who had been standing as still as statues for the speech and every one of them broke from the line and went their own separate ways. Rose tugged at his hand and dragged him towards Christian and Lissa, who were entertaining their guests.

"Rose!" Lissa squealed when she saw her and they embraced. Christian coughed and looked away, cheeks flushed. Lissa ignored him. "I've already claimed you as my Guardian, nobody else would be able to pry you from me anymore."

Rose laughed. "Great, I've never heard better news. Have any of seen Dimitri?"

Christian nodded. "He's on duty outside the hall."

A wicked gleam leapt into her eyes at the mention of his duty. "Well, let's see what I can do about getting him to attend to _my _needs."

Eddie disguised the laughter that threatened to escape with a cough. "Give Dimitri my well wishes, as well as my condolences once you're done with him."

Rose threw him a withering stare over her shoulder before she flounced off in search of Dimitri.

"Hey Eddie." Lissa greeted him with a smile. "Any offers so far?"

"Not any that I'm aware of." Eddie shrugged.

"Don't worry, your graduation score was one of the best. They'll come pouring in soon." She assured brightly.

"I guess." He nodded and realized that there were several people waiting to speak with her. "I'll see you later then, Lissa." He cocked his head to the side to indicate the queue.

Lissa glanced at her entourage and sighed in resignation. "Alright, be seeing you."

Hiding his smirk, Eddie pivoted on his heel only to find himself face to face with a man in his early forties. He was wearing a plain long sleeved shirt and long pants but still managed to radiate opulence. His graying hair was combed to the side and his fathomless green eyes which reminded Eddie of Noel looked back at him. Scowling at his brain's failure to comply to his order of never thinking about her again, he shoved the image of Noel to the deep recesses of his mind.

"Eddie Castile, I take it?" Even his voice was gruff and sounded disused.

Eddie nodded his reply, intimidated by his very presence.

"I would like to employ you as a Guardian for my daughter." He got straight to the point, not bothering with pleasantries.

Eddie nodded his consent once again.

The man frowned at him. "Can you not talk, Mr. Castile?"

_Shit. _"I didn't think it was necessary." _Oh, shit. That was a bad reply._

As Eddie thought, his frown deepened and creases bracketed his forehead. "Your disrespect irks me, Mr. Castile."

"I apologize if I offended you in any way, sir. I merely kept silent in fear of offending you in the first place."

Eddie's answer seemed to please him for he brightened slightly and nodded. "We would discuss the details now, if it's possible."

"Of course." Eddie agreed and followed as the man strode off. Lissa caught his eye and she gave him an almost imperceptible nod of her head in approval. He smiled back in appreciation for her encouragement and sat down at a desk at the sides of the hall reserved specially for discussion. His employer sat at the other side of the wooden desk.

"My name is Leoric." He began, fishing in the drawers at his side for the official forms to declare the employment of a Guardian. "And like I mentioned earlier, I want you to guard my daughter wherever she goes."

"Sounds simple enough."

Leoric stilled and his lips curled. "You don't know what you're up against, Mr. Castile."

Eddie arched an eyebrow. "I like challenges."

Leoric broke into a full-fledged grin. "I'm afraid you might have just met your match." He resumed his digging and placed on the table a few sheets of papers. "The previous Guardians I employed quitted within a week, even when I offered to raise their salaries."

"She can't be _that_ bad." Eddie murmured absently as he filled in the forms with a pen.

"That," Leoric chuckled. "Is debatable."

As his mind wandered off to try to form an image of the devil he would soon be up against, Eddie's eyes settled on the amount of money he would be paid and gaped in bewilderment.

"I think you made a slight mistake in my salary, it's wa-"

"No, no." Leoric shook his head. "It's correct. And if it isn't to your expectations, I can increase it."

Eddie's gaze flittered from his employer's straight face to the paper. Too many zeros for his tired mind to even start to register. "Why are you paying me so much?"

"I think I already told you that my daughter is the most devious girl you would ever encounter." He frowned, drumming his fingers against the face of the desk, producing a muted sound. "Hopefully, the money would cover for the hospital fees you would require to calm your mental state after you take care of her for as long as you are willing to."

Eddie just stared at him.

The worst part? He didn't look as if he was kidding.

"Daddy! Have you found a Guardian?"

Dread uncurled in Eddie's stomach slowly, deadly in its vehemence as the familiar voice rang out. Leoric, unaware of his reaction, turned to face her daughter with a grin. "Yes, and I think I found the perfect one this time. His name is –"

"Eddie." The feminine voice finished for Leoric, somewhat breathless.

Leoric frowned in confusion and he looked weirdly at Eddie. "Have you two met?"

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Eddie lifted his head from the paper he had probably burned a hole through with the intensity he was staring at it. Anticipation, along with the all-too-familiar arousal buzzed in his blood as his eyes landed on the petite brunette he had talked with just a while ago.

"Noel… Tarus."


	4. EddieNoel 3!

Noel gaped at Eddie, her new Guardian. Somehow, he made a full charcoal suit appear suave. When she had saw him, she was shocked, angry and… dare she admit it? A ridiculously feminine part of her was overjoyed at seeing him again. Sure, he's a jerk whom plays with girls like they're toys that can be thrown aside after he was done with them. However, she can't exactly prevent her body from reacting to his presence.

"_He's _my new Guardian?" She spluttered, the initial surprise fogging her mind and rendering her unable to process the information too quickly.

"Yes," Her father, Leoric, gave a solemn nod. "Is there a problem of some sort that I should be privy of?"

Eddie just stared.

"B-But he's the jerk I was talking to just now, and I don't like his attitude! I don't want him as my Guardian!" Noel stomped her foot and wailed.

Eddie got over his shock and rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.

A ghost of a smile played on Leoric's lips. "I'm sure that you both won't have any trouble getting along then." He turned to Eddie. "Is this arrangement agreeable with you?"

Eddie shrugged. "I always welcome a challenge."

Noel flushed with anger, specks of red dotting her vision. "Did you just call me a challenge?" Her shrill, loud voice echoed around the room, tapering conversations to quiet. "You are such a jerk! I can't believe my luck, getting you as my Guardian!"

Leoric frowned. "Noel, you – "

"No! I'm not going to lower my voice if that's what you're about to tell me!" Noel snapped, her anger rearing its ugly head. She shifted her glare onto Eddie, who seemed to be amused by her temper. "And you! If you get into my way or even _try_ to order me around, I won't hesitate to burn you into a crisp!"

There seemed to be a drastic drop in temperature the moment the words left her mouth. The air of amusement around Eddie lifted and he stood up, all traces of emotion draining from his face. "You're the boss." His tone was flat, cold. If Noel wasn't so fired up from her fury, she would have shivered from the animosity in his words. "What you want is what you'll get from me."

Noel nodded curtly and pivoted on her heel, storming out of the hall, aware of all the eyes burning a hole through her. Just her luck to get the most irritable boy she had ever seen, as well as the most intriguing and charming, to be her Guardian. This would just complicate her pledge on never dating boys again. After her last heartbreak…

_Don't go there. You don't want to drag up the past. _

Burying the awful memories was a tedious task, but a necessary one at that. Her heart had shattered, and it would never be the same again. Like a vase or a ceramic figurine dropped and then glued back together. It may still be functional, but it's no longer beautiful. The cracks are all visible, evidence that something once happened to it in the past. She had never contemplated giving her herself entirely to another person, and would never risk it again. The stakes were way too high even if the pay-out might be worth it.

Noel held back the tears that threatened to pour over as she made her way to a remote spot where she could bask in the silence. A moment of silence – that's what she required to clear her mind of the awful past fighting to surface and make a mockery of her again.

The gentle caress of the summer wind brushed her cheeks, somehow consoling her. She had grown accustomed to seeking solace in Mother Nature as she appeared to truly understand her tumultuous feelings. The clouds grew thick and heavy above her, a harbinger of the oncoming storm. As she watched with fascination, grey kneaded itself into the exquisitely fluffy white of the clouds, forming ominous nimbus clouds that mirrored her emotions. Heavy and dark, just waiting for her to reach the bursting point before all the tears forced their way out and leave her a wreck.

"You should go back inside. Your father's worried about you."

Noel stiffened at Eddie's voice behind her. "How did you find me?"

She heard him chuckle softly. "I come here all the time when I want to be alone too."

"Don't even think for a moment that you understand me."

"I never implied that." Eddie sighed wistfully. "Look, Noel, I'm sorry if I gave you a bad first impression. Your father seems desperate to find you a good Guardian, and I don't want to disappoint him."

"Now you're implying that you're a good Guardian."

"It's not implying if it's the truth."

_Argh. Irritating boy. _"You have a pretty big ego, huh?"

He laughed, a self-deprecating laugh. "Like you said, I don't understand you. Don't expect to understand me either."

Noel whipped around to glare at Eddie. "Your problems can't be worse than mine."

A pained look entered his eyes and he smiled ruefully. "Maybe, maybe not."

A million scenarios flooded Noel's mind regarding Eddie's past. He appeared to have his own demons haunting him and she felt their connection saturating by the second. In addition to their undeniable attraction, this did not bade well for her. She felt the urge to pour her heart out to him; to trust him and let him cure her of her painful memories, replacing them with wonderful ones. _Foolish, _she thought bitterly. _So foolish. Never again. _

A clap of thunder jolted her from her thoughts. "We have to hurry." Eddie said, glancing at the overcast sky.

"Yes." Noel muttered shakily, getting to her feet. "Let's go."

The both of them hurried to the nearest shelter as the first fat droplets of water fell from the sky.

"Noel?" Eddie began, and she could sense the hesitation underlying his voice. Even in the falling darkness due to the opaque clouds, she could make out the uncertainty on his face.

"Hmm?"

"If there's a time you want to get something off your chest…" He paused, cleared his throat nervously. "Let's just say you can tell me anything."

The gesture touched her very heart and she felt the ice encasing it melt a little. He truly wanted to get to know her; to banish the demons plaguing her. _Stop it, don't be foolish to think he really cares for you. It's just a ploy of some sort. _Still, she can't help but to feel a little delighted at his concern. "Th-that's great. Thanks."

Eddie coughed at the awkwardness that hung in the air, oppressive in its intensity. "Come on, we're almost there."

They walked quickly to the brightly lit hall that beckoned like a beacon in the stormy weather. Rain pelted against the glass panels and the roar of the wind overshadowed the rhythmic pitter-patter of the raindrops. Leoric stood at the entrance of the hall, looking very worried until he spotted Noel. His face instantly brightened with relief.

"Thank you, Eddie. Already, you are proving to be a great help." He smiled, bending down slightly to embrace his slightly flushed daughter. Then, he straightened and frowned at the unforgiving storm. "We would depart for New York the moment the rain lightens."

"New York?" Eddie arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, New York." Leoric confirmed with a bemused smile. "Have you been there before?"

"No," Eddie admitted. "Heard a lot about it, though."

"All good, I hope."

"Mostly," He answered vaguely. "Heard some rumours of Strigoi activity there these few months."

Leoric's expression turned grave. "Yes, that's why I'm looking out for a Guardian to accompany Noel wherever she goes."

Noel rolled her eyes. "No Strigoi would be dumb enough to try to attack a fire user, dad."

Eddie grimaced at her ignorance. "You don't know what you're talking about."

She narrowed her eyes at her Guardian and placed her hands on her hips. "And I'm pretty sure you know _everything _about them."

"I know enough." He replied darkly, his hazel eyes darkening to fathomless black. "More than what I wish to know."

Embarrassed, Noel's head drooped and she stared at her feet. What was she thinking, insulting a Guardian like that? One thing was for sure, she definitely wasn't thinking. "I'm sorry." She murmered.

Eddie frowned at the apology before slowly smiling as his teasing nature kicked in, his irises regaining the warm brown Noel so adored. "I never thought I'll hear an apology from you so soon, Noel. Must have come across a four leaf clover while trying to find you."

Noel scowled, resentment overriding her embarrassment. "You're the most irritating bastard I've ever met, do you know that?"

His smile broke into a grin and he tipped an imaginary hat at her. "That's why you like me so much."

"You wish." _Why must he be right?_

Her father frowned at their exchange. Maybe he was frowning all along; she had no idea. She was too preoccupied with talking with Eddie. "The rain is letting up. Get ready to go to New York, Eddie. We'll meet in an hour at the foyer."

Eddie nodded in agreement. "I'll go pack up my stuff then." He turned to leave when Leoric stopped him with a gruff call of his name.

"Yes?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Take Noel with you. I have to settle some more paperwork and do not wish to have her around me in fear of her causing more trouble."

Eddie paled. "You can't be serious."

It was Leoric's turn to lift an eyebrow. "You'll soon realise that I do not joke, Eddie."

Eddie blanched and eyed Noel warily. "It can't be helped?"

"No." Leoric's tone was final, leaving no room for argument.

Noel stomped her feet in annoyance at the two men discussing her course of action without even acknowledging she was right there and listening. "Do I not have a say in this?"

"No." They both answered simultaneously.

"Why do I even bother?" She grumbled, whipping out her phone to scroll through the messages she had received. She brightened at the message sent by Scarlet, her best friend back in Clemort High in New York.

**how is evryting Montana? weather suks here. so borin wifout u!**

Noel hastily replied the message, fingers flying over the screen with practised expertise.

**nt as gd as hoped. will b bk soon, mayb by tmrw if rain stops. cant wait 2 c u agn!**

She pocketed the device and looked up to find Eddie looking at her with an inscrutable expression. She noticed that her father was nowhere in sight. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing." He waved a dismissive hand through the air. "Follow me." Without further elaboration, he trotted off.

Clenching her jaw at the outright order, she forced herself to follow Eddie. It won't do her any good to defy his orders now when he was only following instructions from her father anyway. Refusing to be left behind by Eddie's long strides, she practically jogged to catch up with him before falling into pace next to him. They walked in silence amidst the soft pelts of the dying rain against the walls as Eddie led her to his quarters.

His room was small – that was her first thought as she walked into Eddie's room. Then, with a second glance, she realised that there was no reason for it to be any bigger, he had very little belongings to begin with. The room was sparsely furnished; the walls lined with mahogany, akin to the floor. A single, bare cupboard lay neglected at the far corner of the room, along with a desk and a single bed with a rumpled sheet strewn across it. But what got her gaping in shock wasn't the lack of furniture, it was the white powder that blanketed almost everything.

"Did it snow here or something?" She blurted out, appeasing her burning curiosity.

"Yeah," He said dryly as he flung open a luggage bag. "The weather forecast didn't mention anything about the harsh weather conditions in my room."

Ignoring his wry remark, Noel kneeled down and inspected the powder. It seemed to be… flour? "It's alright if you can't bake." She shot back, elated to find an opening to taunt him.

"Are you offering your baking services?" Not missing a beat, he answered as he tossed neatly folded clothes into his luggage.

_Grrr. _"Only if you beg for it."

"How can I be sure that the food you make is even edible?"

"You can't."

"In that case, no thanks. I prefer to die of natural causes."

"Dying of having an inflated ego is hardly natural."

Eddie choked on the water he was drinking, his eyes wide as saucers. "Ever thought of being a stand-up comedian?" He asked once he had stopped coughing.

"About as much as I thought about having a jerk like you as a Guardian." She said, genuinely pleased with herself for eliciting a reaction out of him.

"I didn't know you thought of that your whole lifetime."

Scowling, she yanked open the door with much more force than necessary. "I'll wait for you outside, the air in here stinks almost as much as you."

"Suit yourself," Eddie called out, the sound of him zipping shut his luggage bag resounding through the room. "The room that determines what bug crawled up your ass is to your left."

Unwilling to let him get the last word, but also unable to figure out a retort that would leave him reeling, Noel slammed the door shut with all her might. That, did little to satisfy the burning urge to knee Eddie in the crotch. If possible, it amplified and intensified. Even then, as images of how she would slowly torment him flittered into her mind, some more intimate and prurient thoughts took over, causing her to blush.

Leaning against the wall, she knocked herself on the head. _Don't even think about it. He's not worth it. _Another irrational – or was it rational? – part of her mind whined in protest, thinking that he would be her saviour, the one to truly love her and take care of her. _Yeah right, _she snorted but the hope – oh, lethal and despised hope – lingered, teasing and tempting her as it just remained out of her reach. Noel closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, wishing that things weren't so complicated. Or about to get even more complicated than she could ever handle.

* * *

><p><strong>So how is it? Review please! :)<strong>


	5. EddieNoel 4!

Eddie heard the door shut with a deafening bang and smiled, knowing that he had not lost his touch at all. He had picked up a few lines from Rose here and there; she was legendary for coming out with snarky remarks, and still is. Being with Dmitri had changed her tremendously though, she got angry less and less easily, quite an impressive feat for someone as reckless as her. Perhaps some of Dmitri's legendary patience and stoicity have rubbed off him during one of their many sexual marathons.

A moment later, he frowned when the welcomed feeling of satisfaction did not arrive. He felt… strangely empty. Usually, he would experience the bliss and unrivaled ecstasy of winning a duel of words; but no, this time, he was left feeling hollow. As if he shouldn't have insulted Noel, as if he should have had a nice chat with her.

Laughing nervously, he dismissed that notion without entertaining it. Having a proper conversation with a girl he had known only for a day was pretty low on his list of priorities – somewhere between cleaning up after himself and being a stay-home house husband.

Alright, maybe it was rock bottom.

Still, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that what he did wasn't right and he had an unexplainable urge to make it up to her over a cup of coffee. A cup of coffee? For fucks sakes, he wasn't the type of boy to even bother with pleasantries. He knew how to talk a girl out of her panties, why bother with unnecessary details?

Eddie tugged his tattered suitcase off his bed and brought it over to the door, leaning it against the piece of wood with his initials carved into it. Stifling a sigh, he bent over and traced his fingers over it, his eyes riveted to the artwork. Below his name was a barely discernible 'Mason', which he had attempted to cover with a sign that read 'Home Sweet Home'. His mind immediately got to work pulling out files that he had stowed away into the shadowy corners of his consciousness almost a year ago, sending a torrent of bitter sweet memories that filled his mind. Mason, laughing and darting about him as they played tag. Mason, tending to his wound when he foolishly tried to prove his valor by leaping off a towering tree branch. Mason –

"Fuck!" Eddie swore loudly, pummeling his fist into the hard wood, leaving behind yet another imprint of his knuckles. Pain shot up his arm, followed by a blissful numbness that dulled his senses and left him feeling cold.

An emotion that he more than welcomed with open arms. He embraced it; he reveled in it. Emotions were the bane of his existence, weakening him with their damned presence. Learning to keep it at bay had been an arduous task, but a compulsory one. It was the only fucking way for him to remain sane throughout the funeral, throughout the mourning and emptiness that hung so heavily in the air, it was almost palpable.

"Eddie?" Noel's concerned voice drifted through the thin door, resembling the melody of an angel's harp in its innocence and sweetness. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Eddie gritted out. "It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" The doubt in her voice was crystal clear. "I'm coming in, hang on."

"No!" Eddie shouted the single word with more force than he intended to. When he was met with shocked silence, he lowered his voice and muttered, "Don't come in, I want to be alone." He didn't want Noel to see him in this state.

He was a mental wreck.

There was a pause. "Alright," She breathed slowly, as if afraid to irritate him further. "I'll go to the foyer and meet my dad first." This was followed by footsteps against the cobblestone path outside that faded into the distance.

An overwhelming surge of fatigue hit him like a wall, knocking the breath out of him and forcing him to lean against the wall for support. Even that wasn't enough to keep him standing and his knees buckled, causing him to crumble to the ground in a mangled heap.

For the first time in his life since Mason's departure from the world, Eddie allowed the tears to spill over freely.

* * *

><p>By the time Adrian had gotten ready for the Assignment Ceremony, he was pretty sure it was ending.<p>

He had showered for a long time, letting the water rinse away the stubborn stink of alcohol and cigarettes, wishing that the water possessed some sort of mystic property to wash his mind clean of the demons that never ceased to haunt him in, be it awake or asleep. He was already teetering at the brink of insanity and only needed a little encouragement to fall into oblivion, never to find his old self again.

Maybe it was for the best if it happened.

He was a menace to society anyway. He had long given up on his womanizing ways, not seeing any point in it. What was the use? The girl he had truly desired had flicked him away like he was merely some sort of appetizer for another, and that was after she had promised to come back for him, no less. It hurt, and still hurt. Imagine a knife plunged into your heart, and when that wasn't enough, the weapon was twisted until the agony ratcheted up a few thousand notches.

He was living in eternal hell.

He stayed in the shower until the hot water turned warm, then cold, then freezing before he finally, reluctantly, stepped out to wipe himself dry. He was pretty sure that he alone had caused a drought somewhere else in the world but he couldn't really summon up enough energy to give a fuck. How could he, when he was already using up all the energy to convince himself suicide wasn't the only way to escape from the misery?

He dragged his uncooperative body through the basic routine of putting on clothes that had somehow become an alien task to his wobbly arms and legs. Not even bothering to look at what shirt or pants he had donned, Adrian pushed the door open and noted the gloomy weather which mirrored his inner emotions. Smiling ruefully, he descended the stairs as slowly as he possibly could, lingering at every step. Maybe if he was lucky, by the time he had reached the bottom, the Assignment would already have ended.

* * *

><p>Jill Maestro leaned against the alabaster columns, her arms folded over her chest. The Assignment ceremony was still under way, the bulk of the Guardians already employed by the interested Morois. She had watched as Eddie walked away with Leoric Tarus, one of the most influential men in the council. Despite his hardened and intimidating exterior, however, Jill knew that he had a weak spot for his only daughter, Noel Tarus.<p>

It didn't help that she was quite a handful to handle.

And things just got better as Eddie and Noel started arguing, and it had ended all too soon for the awfully bored Jill. She had been coerced into attending this ceremony by her parents who threatened to ground her. She didn't bother to point out that she's the sister of the Queen, and nobody could make her do anything she didn't want.

Even her parents.

Soon, the crowd thinned out as Guardians left with their respective Morois, anticipation obvious on their grinning faces. Only the few Guardians who had truly fought against the Strigois and had seen first-hand for themselves remained expressionless, if not somewhat grim. They knew very well what laid ahead for them, and weren't really delighted to dive head in into the slaughter pit.

Jill furtively watched as Lissa Dragomir, her supposed sister, handled her guests with incredible grace and dignity. Not once did she falter the intense interrogation some of the older Morois threw at her, neither did she react as venomously. In fact, she seemed to take it all in her stride and that satisfied the ones who questioned her power, leaving them satisfied that they were in good hands.

Jill envied her.

Christian Ozera stood by Lissa's side, lending her his support whenever needed. Together, they look like the perfect pair. Christian, with his dark good looks and Lissa, with her radiant beauty. Not to mention their matching suits…

Jill sighed, looking down at her fancy high heels. Her heart ached in a weird sort of way whenever she saw them together and she couldn't fathom why. Could it be because she was… the slightest bit jealous of their relationship? She never had anything for Christian, but she wanted someone of her own. Someone who will treasure her as if she's the most valuable object in the universe, someone who will be her knight in shining armor.

Is that too much to ask?

Clearly, it is.

Now that she was royalty, she had to be prim and proper all the time. If she had realized that acknowledging herself as a Dragomir would have such serious repercussions – like taking away her fun – she would never have even contemplated it in the first place. Now, she was practically tethered to the Royal Court, and only on certain special occasions like such was she allowed to leave the confines of her accursed, elegant home.

"Why the gloomy look, Jill?"

Jill snapped out of her thoughts, startled by the presence of Adrian peering down at her, eyebrow lifted inquiringly. He had the bed look, as if he had just gotten out of bed. Judging from his mismatched shirt and pants that looked thrown on, he probably did.

Jill inclined her head towards the lovebirds with a sigh. Adrian's eyes followed the direction she was pointing at and his eyebrows inched up further. "What's up with Christian and Lissa?"

She hunched her shoulders in a huff. "I don't expect you to understand."

Adrian's attention returned to her, the amusement that was so rare since Rose's break up with him glinting in his emerald eyes. "Are you jealous?"

Jill almost gasped at how perceptive he was, and then shook her head way too vigorously in a blatant lie. "No."

Adrian chuckled but said nothing. Instead, he too, watched the couple link their hands together wordlessly as they faced the last few Morois intent on speaking with Lissa with the sort of wistfulness Jill would never have associated with him merely a month ago.

The break-up had devastated him, leaving only a shell of what he used to be behind.

Jill detested Rose for that, though she understood that being with someone you didn't love was a torture.

Especially if the person you truly love returns to your side.

Still, she could have broken off with Adrian a little less forcefully and hurt him less in the process. She doubted that he would ever open up completely to another girl again and that won't do any good for his love life.

"My mom expects me to find a Guardian here." Adrian broke the silence, tearing his gaze away from the duo. "From the looks of things, there's nobody left for my picking."

"You sound almost relieved." Jill teased lightly.

He smiled warily. "Is it that obvious?"

"No, but I'm good at reading you."

"Remind me to stop spending so much time with you."

She snorted. "You can't keep yourself away from me."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

Jill giggled, recalling how Adrian thrived on challenges issued at him. "If you want it to be, sure. But I'm pretty sure it will be more of a torture to you."

"Hah," It was his turn to snort. "You think way too highly of yourself."

She waggled her finger in mock disapproval, slanting her eyebrows deprecatingly. "Have you forgotten already that I'm the sister of the Queen herself?"

Adrian rubbed the side of his jaw with his knuckle, sighing. "I wish I could. You're no longer the little unprotected and shy girl I once knew."

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

"It isn't," He shrugged. "I just can't believe you have royal blood in you after all."

"Me neither." Jill muttered, flipping her hand over and back a few times as if it would show evidence of the Dragomir blood running within her. "Never in my wildest dreams."

A mischievous gleam leapt into Adrian's eyes. "What happens in your wildest dreams then?"

Heat crept up her neck and Jill lowered her head. How could she explain that she had dreams of her in bed with a stranger, a stranger that she only knew had raven hair from her blurry dreams. The newest and most recent one had left her more than breathless; she was pretty sure she had screamed the whole household awake when he brought her to orgasm in that hot and steamy dream.

Damn.

"My, my." Adrian _tsk_ed, grinning slyly. "Must have been quite a dream to make you blush so deeply."

Jill was pretty sure her face was beetroot red now. "D-Does it matter?"

"Relax," He chuckled, amused by her defensiveness. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. You're reaching that age anyway."

"And you're not of _that_ age?" Jill shot back.

"That's beside the point," He waved his hand dismissively. "My point is that you shouldn't be embarrassed at all. In fact," Adrian edged closer, his head a mere inch away from Jill's. "You should embrace it."

A shiver ran down her spine. Embrace it? She sure wanted to. If the pleasure she experienced in her dream could be anything like reality…

"You're drifting off again." The spirit user chuckled. "I'll leave you to daydream then."

"Where are you going?" Jill asked, arching an eyebrow.

Adrian's expression turned sober and a blanket fell over his glittering emerald eyes, shadowing his amusement with something darker. "I'm going to talk with Rose." He muttered gravely, averting the shocked look she was throwing at him. "I need to set some things straight with her. Perhaps then, I can finally…" He trailed off, looking unsure.

Jill understood perfectly. Maybe if he finally buried the hatchet, he can move on and forget Rose. Didn't sound very possible for someone who had brooded over his lost love for a month or so, but anything was worth a shot, right? She gave him an assuring nod and a pat on his shoulder, hoping to lend him some strength. "Good luck."

Adrian nodded grimly, his jaw set. "I'll need it."


	6. EddieNoel 5!

Noel Tarus had no idea in hell where she was.

She had been walking to the foyer to meet her father and lost in her musings about the reason for Eddie's tantrum, she had probably taken a wrong turn somewhere.

And now she was helplessly lost.

Cursing inwardly at her lack of awareness, as well as the incredibly disorientating lay out of the Academy, Noel decided to venture onwards. Maybe, by some stroke of luck, she would stumble upon someone who can give her directions to her destination.

Or she might go around in circles till she died of starvation.

She scoffed at that ridiculous notion. Wringing her hands nervously, she continued on, her feet shuffling loudly against the gravel. Her mind wandered off again, floating to Eddie unknowingly. How he had sounded so emotional, how his voice had sounded so gruff and broken. She felt an odd pang in her chest as she imagined Eddie so upset. She knew what it felt like, to be alone with only the riotous emotions as company. A giggle drifted to her ears, followed by a deep chuckle. Noel identified the sounds to be coming from around the next corner and she trotted over, determined to get directions and find her father.

She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks, gaping at the sight that met her.

The same dark brown haired girl with Eddie that helped her before had her back to Noel as she stood on tip-toes, kissing a man who had to lean down to meet her lips. Judging from his physique, he was definitely another Guardian.

A Guardian in a relationship with another one? Not an uncommon sight, but not a common one neither.

Noel cleared her throat pointedly, averting her eyes from the kiss that made her flush deeply. The couple immediately broke up, both of them staring at her as if she suddenly grew two heads. She shifted uncomfortably from their thorough perusal.

"Can we help you?" The man finally broke the silence, snaking an arm around the girl she recalled as Rose in an obvious show of possessiveness.

"Dmitri," Rose admonished, flicking him an annoyed glance. "You don't take that tone with a Moroi."

Dmitri tilted his head and met Rose's gaze. Noel could almost feel the sparks they generated – it was that palpable. Words were not required as they silently exchanged words through their eyes. "I'm sorry," Dmitri apologized. "I didn't mean to be rude. Is there anything we can help you with?"

"I need to find my way to the foyer."

Dmitri chuckled, understanding in his eyes. "Just walk straight from here and turn right when you see the fountain."

She nodded thankfully, stowing away the information in case such a fiasco decided to repeat itself. "Thank you."

Rose, throughout the entire conversation, eyed her with blatant disapproval. "Eddie is your Guardian." A statement, not a question.

Feeling the absurd need to avoid her piercing eyes, Noel nodded dumbly. "Yes."

Rose folded her arms over her chest, her gaze riveted to her. "I hope the rumors I heard about your attitude towards your Guardians aren't true," She paused. "Because if it is, I would not hesitate to come after you if you so much as hurt a strand of hair on Eddie, rules be damned."

Noel shivered, Rose's words shaking her to her very core. So, her reputation preceded her. Not surprising, since she went through Guardians like an alcoholic through beer. Still, she never intentionally brought hurt to her Guardians, only choosing to orchestrate certain 'events' that would send them running away. "I won't dream of it." Even as the words emerged out of her mouth, she realized it was true. She would never will any harm on Eddie, never want anything bad to befall on him. Considering how she had knew him for less than a few hours, why she wanted him safe was beyond his comprehension.

Rose studied her for a few moments before nodding, satisfied with her answer. "Good. I won't wish to spend time behind bars. _Again."_

Dmitri spun her towards him and cupped Rose's cheeks, urging her to look at him. About a split second later, they were at it again.

Ignoring the sharp ache near her chest towards their undisputable love for each other, Noel took the signal and walked away. Her foolish mind supplied her with flashes of a boy, a boy she knew all too well. A boy that ignited a fire within her she never knew even existed. A boy that made her wish forever was true.

A boy who was her Guardian.

Noel made it to the foyer in less than a minute. Her father was leaning against the car with surprising grace for someone of his height, his brow furrowed in concentration as he scanned whatever was displayed on his phone. A quick glance at the clock told her that they were to depart for New York in less than an hour and she would soon be back with her friends.

With a somewhat unwanted baggage by her side.

"Noel," Leoric acknowledged her with a smile, inclining his head towards the car. "We're leaving in 15 for the airport." His smile dipped into a frown. "Where's Eddie?"

She shrugged, remembering his odd temper. "He wanted some privacy."

Understanding seemed to dawn on her father as he chuckled. "Alright, I guess we'll wait for him then."

Noel climbed into the car, rejoicing at the thought of reuniting with Scarlet and her other friends. A part of her wanted to know how they would react to her bringing someone back with her, a guy too. They know about how she despised them in general, not wanting to be hurt by them ever again. Another part of her didn't want them to know about Eddie. It was to protect them from his advances, she assured herself, and not because she didn't want them to fawn over him.

Sighing, Noel buried her face into her hands. How was it possible that a boy she had just met could get under her skin so easily?

And if that was possible within a few short hours, what would happen if they spent more time together?

* * *

><p><strong>I think I'm actually gonna change the rating from T to M, considering the lemons coming up... :P<strong>


	7. EddieNoel 6!

Adrian cursed as he circled the grounds, looking for the person who had deeply hurt him and still haunted him relentlessly. It was probably wishful thinking on his part to even hope that talking to Rose would smooth their turbulent relationship, but he still held onto it like it was the only possible and plausible lifeline.

Maybe it was.

Raking a hand through his hair, he released a pent up breath of frustration. His search had proven fruitless; she was nowhere in sight. Jill had given him some vague directions from where she had last seen Rose but it wasn't enough. The Academy boasted of an immensely huge plot of land, a mighty hindrance when it came to searching for someone in the proximity.

Still, he persevered.

Adrian was determined to settle the problem there and then; nothing would stop him. Well, maybe divine intervention, but that was hardly the agenda now, was it?

A few minutes later, his thinning patience was about to give way. Resentment and anger bubbled inside him, the heady mixture coursing through his veins. When he wanted to find Rose, he couldn't even catch a glimpse of her. When he wanted to avoid her at all cost, he couldn't help but to stumble onto her at every turn.

Laughing bitterly, Adrian skidded to a halt when he noticed Rose sitting alone on a bench, her back to him. Dmitri was, thankfully, nowhere in sight.

The moment of truth had arrived.

Gathering all his courage and drawing from his reservoir of strength, Adrian walked towards her unsteadily. A million scenarios swirled in his addled mind, adding to his confusion. Almost as if she could sense his presence, her back stiffened with apprehension before she whirled around, a wary and guarded look on her face.

"Adrian." The word was cold, toneless. He almost winced at how emotionlessly his name left her mouth, as if they never had anything. Maybe they never had, he was just delusional. Still, it hurt.

"Rose," He mumbled in return, the confidence he once possessed deserting him quickly. "We need to talk."

Rose, clearly caught off guard by his words, opened her mouth to speak but then pursed it. "What about?"

Adrian waved a hand in the air awkwardly. "Us."

She blanched visibly, the air between them thick with tension. "I told you, Adrian, it's ov-"

"No," He interrupted firmly, his confidence somehow returning. With a vengeance. "Let me finish. I'm not stupid enough to think you still have any feelings for me in any way." When Rose tried to protest, he held out his hand in a gesture for her to remain silent. "Since you have clearly moved on –" Adrian suppressed a wave of bitterness " – I would like to move on too."

Rose nodded dumbly, wide-eyed at his open admission. "Why can't you then?"

"I don't know," He shrugged. "I guess I'm holding onto something that was never meant to be. But now I'm ready to let it go, and I just want you to be here to witness it."

A smile spread across her face. "I'm glad. I wish you the best, Adrian. You're a great guy."

"So I've heard." Adrian laughed, but it was devoid of humor. "I wish you the best with Dmitri as well. Send him my regards."

"I will." Rose promised, and when he pivoted on his heel to walk off, she called out his name. "Oh, and Adrian?"

"Yes?" He stopped in his tracks.

"Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

"For finding the courage to move on. And for finally forgiving me." Rose answered, gratitude in her voice. "It really means a lot to me."

"Well, for whatever it is worth, it means a lot to me as well." Adrian muttered before walking off. The expected relief and happiness he so craved did not arrive. Instead, the loneliness and desolation remained, taunting him. He had grown so accustomed to their presence, he had no idea how it felt like to be jovial again.

He doubted he ever would.

* * *

><p>Eddie stalked to the foyer, aware of how rigid and tense his body was. It had always been like that every single time he let go of his emotions. He felt empty and hollow after the outburst, his muscles tight and unyielding.<p>

It didn't exactly help that Noel had been there to hear his emotional breakdown.

He clenched his jaw, recalling that mortifying moment of weakness. He hardly showed amusement, reveled in how he had full control over them. Why, then, did he feel so highly… emotional around Noel? It felt as if she could tear down the walls surrounding those beasts, giving them free rein without even him realizing it.

It didn't matter anyway, he told himself. He was going to stay aloof and distant from her the moment he officially claimed the role of being her Guardian. Eddie had always taken his job seriously, and he prided himself for it. He never let anything get between himself and the responsibility of his job, and that won't begin now.

Not even if there was a little, brown haired temptress who weakened his resolve.

Not even then.

"Ah, Eddie, there you are. I was getting worried that you lost track of time." Leoric's booming voice shook dragged him away from the grasp of his reverie. "Hurry up, we have to get to the airport in an hour if we are to keep to schedule."

Nodding his acquiescence, Eddie busied himself by hoisting all of the luggage – along with his own, pitiful one – into the trunk of the Mercedes. It was hard not to marvel at the opulence of the Tarus family. When he climbed into the car next to Noel, however, his appreciation shifted its attention to the stiffening girl next to him.

The tinted glass of the car did a decent job of blocking out most of the sunlight that paid Noel's pale skin the tribute it deserved, but it still dazzled him. Her light tank top exposed a large stretch of her creamy, _delectable – _his mind helpfully added – skin. It was probably a good thing that she wore a pair of jeans, for if he could see her legs, he would probably –

_Shit._

Mentally kicking himself for letting his thoughts stray towards improper territory, Eddie clasped his hands together tightly, struck by an absurd urge to touch the skin that intrigued him so. As if Noel could somehow detect his intentions, she moved a little more to the side, increasing the space between them.

His fists clenched subconsciously. Did she find him that abhorrent, so much that she couldn't even stand being close to him? Well, if that's the case, he'll make her crave his touch. So much that it would be branded into her soul, his rules to stay away for him be damned.

Just for now, of course. As soon as he took up his role as her Guardian, he would no longer have the opportunity of getting close to her. So why not take the chance to appease his curiosity? Surely it can't feel as soft as it looks…

Making a big show of strapping on the seatbelt, Eddie ensured his hand brushed Noel's skin.

And hissed in a breath.

He could almost feel the sparks that little touch had generated, as well as her unbelievably flawless skin. She must have felt it too, for she recoiled as if burnt. "What was that for?" Was it just him, or did she sound breathless?

Eddie feigned bewilderment. "What?"

She narrowed her eyes into slits at him. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I don't."

"Hmph." Noel folded her arms across her chest indignantly, looking away.

They lapsed into uncomfortable silence, both refusing to converse any further. Tension built up between them, an uncomfortable entity if it was to remain there for the entire ride to the airport. The car gave a slight hitch before the engine purred into life and pulled off from the foyer.

Pressing his hands against the cool tinted glass, he watched forlornly as they left the Academy behind. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as his home for the past few years diminished rapidly into the distance until it was a mere dot in the horizon.

"We can come and visit." Noel's tone was gentle and tentative, somehow sensing his distress.

"It's not necessary." Eddie grunted in reply, wondering why they were both so attuned to each other.

"If you say so." She mumbled, losing that tender edge, probably unhappy that she had received no thanks in reply at her offer.

He chuckled at her petulance, amused by how much she resembled a child in her attitude. Noel tilted her head at him quizzically, her eyes imploring him to tell her what he was thinking. Without a thought, he blurted out, "You need to learn how to control your temper."

Her emerald eyes shimmered, darkening to obsidian. "I do _not _have anger issues." Her chin jutted out defiantly again.

_Shit. _He didn't mean for it to come out like an accusation of sorts. "I'm not saying that it's serious or anything –" He thought it was beyond hope " – But you should try to give a thought of consideration to people around you when you decide to, erm, reproach someone of their actions."

Noel actually stomped her foot in the car in the show of frustration. Eddie almost laughed at her furious expression; it bore such a close resemblance to an angry kid half her age. "I do _not _have anger issues." She asserted again as she moistened her lips. "I just… lose control of myself sometimes."

"Then learn to control yourself."

"It's not that easy," She retorted, glaring at him. "I can't help it most of the time."

"Seems like you need counseling." Eddie raised an eyebrow, laughing.

"I do _not!" _Noel cried, exasperation tinged the edge of her words. "It's not as if I make a big commotion or anything." At Eddie's inquiring look, she hunched her shoulders and looked downwards at her feet. "Well, maybe sometimes…"

Eddie fought the strange urge to place a comforting hand on her shoulder and clenched his hands rigidly by his side. "You're right, it's not that bad. I just need to teach you some self-control."

"_You?" _Incredulity thick in her words, Noel frowned. "I think you're hardly qualified to do that after what happened just now in your room." The moment she said that, she realized she had just said something she shouldn't have.

And it showed.

Jaws clenched, eyes blazing, Eddie snapped. Nobody talked about his lack of control; he forbade it. It showed weakness, and he wasn't weak. No, he was strong.

"_Never_," His hand shot out and gripped Noel's forearm with more force than he should have. She flinched, her face pale as her frantic eyes searched his face for the old Eddie. He knew exactly what she would find, a feral and wild Eddie with no traces of the one she had gotten to know. "I repeat, _never, _speak of that again."

Nodding hastily, Noel yanked her arm away, shock registered all over her face. And a little bit of pain and hurt.

_Shit._

The protective instincts kicked in. Tearing the reins of control from his irrational side, he wrenched himself from the haze of lividity. He pressed himself against the door, as far as he could away from the still shivering Noel. This is the reason why he can't allow any intimacy between them, or even any relationship. The dark emotions he had tried so hard to bury still resurfaced now and then, rearing its ugly head, seeking to hurt and maim.

He would never wish that upon Noel.

"I'm sorry." He finally gritted out, his muscles all taut from restraining himself. His anger was simmering after the initial outburst and he took a deep breath, calming himself further. "You're right. I hardly have the qualifications." He gave a self-deprecating laugh, familiar with the bitterness. "Look at what just happened? I'm worse than you. Who am I to even offer help?"

Eddie felt a tentative touch from her and tensed, shying away the gesture of comfort. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve _her. _

"Eddie," Her tone was gentle, soothing. "It's alright. You didn't hurt me."

"I might very well have." He shook his head, frustrated. The last vestiges of his anger drained away with that action. "Forget it. It won't happen again."

"What are you talking about?"

Eddie leveled her stare, expression absolutely emotionless. "What I'm talking about is that from now on, I'm your Guardian. I'll keep my distance and only assist you when required."

Flinching at the coldness of his words, she held her hand out in a placating gesture. "How is that going to prevent it from ever occurring again?"

"I won't need to talk to you anymore." He answered simply, not bothering to elaborate. How could he explain that she brought out the emotions within him that he wanted to hide? It won't sound right, it won't sound _sane._

His eyes darted to her beautiful emerald eyes and he thought he saw a flash of hurt. But as soon as it had appeared, it disappeared under a cloak of indifference. "If that's what you want." She snapped with a stubborn tilt to her chin. "I would definitely enjoy more privacy."

"It is settled then."

Eddie stared out the window at the setting sun. The fireball descended across the horizon, bathing the land in a brilliant shade of yellow and orange. The beautiful sight did nothing to ease the churning unease of his stomach, however. The thought of never talking with Noel again, over casual matters rather than job related topics, made him feel… incomplete.

Shaking away the ridiculous feeling, he sighed. His official job as a Guardian was only just beginning, and the complications were only increasing.

How much more could he stomach before he, too, caved in?

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Eddie :**


	8. EddieNoel 7!

The stony silence lasted did not break until they reached the airport. Even there, Eddie refused to even hazard a glance at Noel, for fear of whatever emotion he would find in the depth of those emerald eyes he found so intriguing. It was for the best, he justified solemnly, needing to reassure himself it was the right decision even though a part of him disagreed vehemently.

It was the same part of him that Eddie needed to protect Noel from.

Being too emotional was a line of weakness for all Guardians, he had learnt that the hard way. However, the person who had suffered by letting emotions overwhelm him wasn't Eddie - it was Mason. In a fit of rage and concern for Rose's safety, he had blindly and valiantly raced in to fend off the Strigoi who had her in his grasps.

And had paid for it with his life.

It was a constant reminder in the dark recesses of his mind, a constant irritating urge that emotions were nothing but excess baggage. Having emotions was one matter, but giving them free rein was another. It unsettled him that Noel managed to bring that side out of him in such a short period of time, but no longer would it happen.

Mentally strengthening his resolve, Eddie took a deep breath and followed Leoric as his employer marched confidently through the crowd of people and vampires alike in the airport, a clear destination in his mind. Eddie had to practically jog to keep up with his pace.

Three other Guardians that he had been introduced to as Gary, Treckle and Sascha flanked Noel and Leoric's side, their combined presence menacing enough to ward off even the most courageous – or foolish, in this case – of Strigois.

They cleared customs without incidence, the considerable power of Leoric causing the officers to turn a blind eye to the lack of identification from the Guardians. It wasn't that Guardians didn't have passports or anything like such, it was due to how light they preferred to travel. Any item they carried on them could prove to be a hindrance to their maneuverability in case of an assault and the slightest weakness could be used against them and they didn't want to lose any more ground against the already stronger and faster adversary.

In a few more minutes, they all boarded the private and exquisite jet of the Tarus family, a relatively compact one that betrayed nothing of its luxury within. It boasted of several suites catered specifically to the needs of overnight traveling, as well as a drool-worthy entertainment system with surround sound and a gigantic plasma TV that Eddie concluded could take up the space of his entire room back at the Academy.

It was hard to hide his awe towards the wealth that surrounded him, but the other Guardians he was working with didn't seem too impressed. Either they had gotten used to it, or they knew how to hide their emotions pretty well. Eddie suspected it was the formal.

A little more than a quarter of an hour after they had made themselves comfortable, the jet took off for New York.

"So, Eddie," Treckle began after they were well in the air, a calculating gleam in his dark eyes. "Tell us about yourself."

The three other Guardians looked expectantly at Eddie, mildly amused by his nervousness. He knew that his introduction was crucial; it would allow them to evaluate whether he was a liability or an asset. Pulling his composure together, he cleared his throat and formed his words carefully. "I'm from the Montana Vampire Academy, age seventeen. I had first-hand experience with Strigois in my short period of studying there." Not knowing whether he should elaborate anymore, he sank into silence under the stares of the others.

Sascha, the only female Guardian, nodded in sympathy. Her voice was light and airy, but there was a steely tone to it and Eddie knew never to judge her just by her gender. After all, some of the most deadly Guardians were women. "A Guardian your age should never be exposed to such atrocities."

Eddie laughed, but it was devoid of humor. "With the growing number of Strigois, along with the depleting number of Guardians, it is inevitable."

Sascha pursed her lips. "Since you're Noel's age, I would think that you understand her thought processes." Understand? Eddie barely restrained himself from snorting at that word. He hardly knew that girl, much less understood her. Unaware of his thoughts, she continued. "Hopefully, you would be able to put up with her many antics and fare better than the previous Guardians."

A laugh bubbled past his mouth before he even registered it. At the three shocked faces peering at him as if he had gone insane, Eddie merely shrugged. "I had my fair share of that with a friend of mine back at the Academy."

"Excellent." Sascha clapped her hands together, a smile on her lips. "I'm pretty sure that you would get along very well with Noel."

Eddie nodded gravely at that sentence, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He was well aware of the sparks they created, if they got along well too, he might not be able to find the heart to stay away from her any longer.

And that will only spell disaster for the girl he had to protect with his life.

The Guardians filed out one by one to get some rest. The flight to New York would take a few more hours, and Eddie found himself bored out of his mind. Entertaining himself with some television programs was out of the question; he was in no mood of watching more of those dramatic television series that were more and more resembling his hectic and complicated life.

Deciding to venture out of the safe confines of his room, Eddie considered the chance of meeting anybody. At such an unearthly hour, the chances were slim to none. In a split second, the decision was made. He couldn't exactly step outside to get some fresh air, but a change in scenery would suit him fine.

He slipped out of his room silently, closing the door behind him with a barely audible _click. _The long corridor stretched to the living area, where he was sure he could find another way to entertain himself. Surely there was something there that would catch his fancy. Well, besides for a brown-haired girl that –

_Stop fucking thinking about her, god damn it._

Shoving the inappropriate thoughts of him and Noel on a comfy bed away, he walked mutely towards his destination. As he had figured, the place was empty. The pool table secured in its place beckoned him, and helpless to the appeal it held, Eddie selected a cue stick from the rack and got down to a game.

Throughout his game, the balls rolled slightly whenever the plane met minor turbulence, pushing his irritation up a notch. When the white ball he shot deviated from its designated course and dropped into the right corner pocket, Eddie stifled a shout of frustration and shoved the cue stick back into its place on the rack with far more force than necessary. Why the Tarus family bothered to install a pool table on the jet, he couldn't even begin to fathom. It was hardly possible to play a proper game without the balls sinking themselves due to the movement of the jet.

A light footstep on the carpeted ground of the corridor caused his spine to stiffen. Immediately, he catalogued the intruder as a female, no way could a man of average weight make such a soft and light noise. Dread uncurled itself in his stomach. He knew very well there were only three female aboard the jet. One was Sascha, the other a flight attendant he had caught a glimpse of, and the last was of course…

Noel.

She stepped out of the darkened passage, her eyes hazy with sleep. The moment she saw him though, her eyes widened in surprise. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

So his presence unnerved her? Interesting. "Couldn't sleep. What are _you _doing here?"

She jerked her chin out stubbornly. "I don't need to explain myself."

"Sure you don't." Amusement flooded him at her defiant gesture. She definitely resisted his commands at every turn, but her stubbornness failed to irritate him. In fact, it only served to heighten his curiosity about her. "You basically own this jet anyway."

She nodded curtly, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She appeared embarrassed, keeping her eyes on the ground. Only then did Eddie realize how scantily dressed she was. Draped in a barely-there nightgown, almost all of her luscious curves were on show, leaving little to imagination. Unable to help it, his eyes raked over every inch of her body, lingering at the rounded globes of her b –

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Clearing his throat, he averted his gaze away from the most delectable piece of morsel he had ever laid his eyes on. He was also acutely aware of the tightening of his pants. "If there's nothing else, I'm going back to my room."

"Alright." Her voice was shaky as well, carrying a hint of fear and… desire?

Eddie nodded stiffly, keeping his eyes glued to the reinforced windows that only displayed the endless expanse of puffy clouds. He marched towards his room, and due to the how compact the corridor was, couldn't help but brush his elbow across the side of her arm. That tiny stroke sent a jolt of awareness down his elbow and straight to his crotch.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck. I'm so fucked. Fuck._

He didn't stop till he was within his room once more. Only then, did he allow himself to breathe a sigh of relief. He was _that_ close to losing control. The gown had not only hugged her curves, it had also exposed an immodest amount of skin for his perusal. Not that his body was complaining, especially not his… lower parts.

Cursing himself, the job, and the undeniable allure of Noel's body, he covered his eyes with the palm of his hand and forced himself to empty his mind of any lingering thoughts. His erection did not comply with his orders though, remaining hard and insistent on sating itself. In a particular female's body.

He was _so_ fucked.

* * *

><p><strong>;D <strong>

**Like I mentioned, I'm likely to change the rating from T to M soon. I still haven't exactly made up my mind though. **

**So what do you think? Would you like something to happen between Eddie and Noel? Sooner rather than later? :P **

**Review please! :)**


	9. EddieNoel 8!

Noel's breaths came in short, erratic pants as she struggled to merely remain upright. When Eddie had just _brushed _her shoulders, her legs had practically turned to jelly. It didn't exactly help her cause that he was dressed in a tight fitting black shirt that revealed his lean, muscular physique. Neither did her skimpy sleeping gown, for that matter.

Leaning against the thin wall of the jet, she took a deep breath of air to regain her composure. Her pulse still hammering wildly, she realized even her fingers were trembling. It was just the most innocent of touches, yet she was about to collapse from an anxiety attack. What would happen if he actually touched her in more sensitive places?

She shivered from the thought of Eddie touching her, stroking her, assuaging the aches all over her body. A shiver of disgust towards such inappropriate thoughts, she assured herself, not a shiver of anticipation. It won't matter in the end anyway, for she wasn't going to let another boy get close to her. She couldn't – wouldn't – risk it.

Risk being heartbroken all over again.

Noel pushed herself to her feet slowly, her legs still a little unsteady. Hating herself for being so weak, she staggered over to the couch and collapsed on top of it. She recalled dimly that she had walked out of her room for a distinct reason, but she couldn't quite remember it anymore. Her brain was muddled up, a fog shrouding and hindering her thinking process.

She had never reacted so acutely, so vehemently to a single touch before. The skin where he had touched still tingled, a reminder of what was never meant to be. It was impossible, he was her Guardian. Such a relationship would be frowned upon, much less blessed by her father who abided strictly by laws passed down for centuries.

Mentally strengthening her resolve to never let Eddie affect her so badly again, the determined girl groped for a bottle of mineral water and drained its content in a few deep gulps. Only after she had quenched her thirst did she remember the reason for venturing out of her room at such an unearthly hour.

To drink some water.

See? She was getting better already.

* * *

><p>Adrian eyed the writhing mass of human bodies, undulating and gyrating against each other with disdain. In his right hand, he held a glass filled to the brim with his favorite drink – you guessed it, alcohol – and in his other, his cellphone that never stopped ringing. He had taken a glance at the caller and ignored it. His mother could do without knowing about his location for a few more hours. Surely that won't kill her.<p>

Only after his cell had rung incessantly for a few more minutes did he actually contemplate answering the call. He knew that Daniella always got worried when he went missing, but never to such an extent. She had finally gotten the message that he needed time alone to get over his depression – not that he ever would, but still.

The ringing ceased for about a second before it began again, somehow picking up in volume, beseeching him to pick up the call. Sighing in resignation, Adrian placed his drink on the elegant glass table reluctantly and pressed the button that would sign his demise.

"Hello? Adrian, is that you?" Without waiting for his greeting, his mother's frantic voice spoke up.

"No, it's the President of the United States." He responded wryly, snaking his fingers around the ice cold glass of alcohol for solace.

"It _is _you." Daniella sounded relieved.

"Last I checked, yes, it's still me. What did I do to deserve this honor?"

She ignored the snarky remark. "Get home now, Adrian. Something big is going on downtown, and you need to get back to the Academy."

"Exactly what's going on? A big sale of some sort? Are you worried that I would get trampled over by the rushing crowd or something?"

"This is not a joke, Adrian. We have received news of the Guild on the move after an ignorant group of Strigois attacked some humans and left their bodies lying in plain sight." Daniella's words were laced with worry.

The Guild. Adrian raked a hand through his hair and waited for fear to settle in. It didn't. He bit back a bitter laugh. He had been emotionless for so long, almost nothing can elicit such a strong reaction from him anymore.

The Guild was a group of humans that had banded together after rumors of Vampires on a killing spree had spread. Apparently, they had solid evidence of their existence. The blame obviously belonged to the growing number of Strigois, and the few younger ones that did not bother to hide or dispose of the drained corpses.

Despite the many setbacks of being human, they were deceptively efficient and well organized. If they wanted a certain vampire dead, he or she would be by twilight.

No exceptions, no mistakes.

They were flawless in their execution, so much so that it roused suspicion and speculation among the Morois. There had been several attempts to infiltrate into their ranks to retrieve some intel about their movements, but so far, all was for naught. Nobody had managed to even uncover their base of operations.

"Adrian?" His mother's voice broke his train of thought and he frowned, trying to recall what they were talking about. Oh yes, his safety.

"Don't worry about me, I know how to take care of myself." He answered brusquely and ended the call, ignoring the shriek from his mother. He wasn't kidding when he had assured her that he knew how to take care of himself.

Only, their definition of 'taking care' varied.

Adrian could no longer work up enough energy to be bothered about life or death. He hardly felt anything anymore; death would be welcome. Maybe, he would finally feel something again. It didn't matter if it was pain, it was still _something_. Something to remind him that he was still alive, even if it wasn't for long.

Picking up his glass of alcohol, he lifted it to his lips and gulped it down, feeling the potent mixture he ordered attack his churning, empty stomach. He had not drunk blood for a pretty long time, and even though Morois could live without weakening for a few days without the substenance, he already felt as if his limbs were laden with lead. His normally sharpened senses were dulling as well, crippling his awareness and agility. Still, he couldn't be bothered.

Not when sweet oblivion might be heading his way this very moment.

His gaze swung around to the dancing floor, where humans and Morois alike showed off their prowess. With an untrained eye, everybody would appear normal. However, Adrian knew the Guild Members were hardly untrained.

They were lethal.

A commotion near the entrance caught his attention and he peered over at the protesting crowd splitting to allow a group of people through. Immediately, he catalogued their appearance and strength. There were six of them in total, five of them brawny men who looked in their twenties or early thirties. Clad in similar black T-shirts that stretched tightly over their broad chests, they scanned the dance floor with calculating eyes. With menacing purpose.

The Guild.

His attention, however, snagged on the lone girl who looked misplaced in the crowd. She was definitely only around his age, far from maturity. Even though her alluring figure might suggest otherwise. She, too, sported a black blouse with jeans that fitted her long legs snugly. If he didn't know better, Adrian would have thought that she was there to have a little bit of fun.

The murderous look in her eyes spoke otherwise.

Even from afar, he easily noticed how her garnet eyes gleamed with poorly disguised hatred as her gaze roved over the crowd. Her jaw was set, shoulders squared. Silence blanketed the club, an uneasy silence that settled heavily and uncomfortably. Movements ceased and everybody stared at the new arrival, some vampires – Adrian noticed grimly – shifted uncomfortably and caught the group's attention.

The eerie silence remained for only a split second more. In the next moment, chaos ensued.

The vampires that recognized them for who they truly were took off, shoving people aside in their desperate attempt to escape from their inevitable fate. If Adrian knew them well enough, the whole club was probably cordoned off by a body of muscle – the Guild's muscle, to be exact.

Like he had expected, the Members didn't move an inch when they fled. No, their job was probably just to scare them out of the building, where the killing can take place away from human eyes. To their credit, they did look intimidating. That however, did nothing to evoke any fear from him. Signaling to the obviously stricken bartender, he called for another glass of brandy. If he was going down, he was going down while nursing and savoring his last glass of alcohol.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as one of the five men moved towards the DJ, who looked as white as chalk, his skin pallid with terror. His eyes honed in onto a jerky movement from the Member's hand as he slid a bundle of bills into the DJ's trembling hands and as he bribed him. To play some extra loud music while the slaughter took place outside?

Probably.

Another one of the Members shuffled forward, and punched his fist into the air with a coarse shout of, "Drinks are on me tonight!"

The tense atmosphere instantly vanished, regaining the joyous one before the Guild had descended on the scene. Rowdy cheers and screams of delight pierced through the oppressive stiffness, the crowd all jostling to go to the bar for their free drink.

Grimacing at the unwanted intrusion on his space, Adrian shot off from his stool and strode over to a deserted corner to enjoy his drink. The Members had not spied him yet, probably thinking that all the vampires had already left the building. However, he knew that they left no stragglers behind and would give the entire club one final sweep before departing and congratulating themselves for a job well done.

Not in any rush to meet his eventual demise, Adrian sipped tentatively from his glass of brandy.

Once again, through his periphery vision, he caught the only girl Member narrowing her eyes at him. Spotted him already? He had to hand it to her though. Alcohol normally buzzed his Spirit abilities, obscuring his status as a Moroi to most humans. That she could somehow pick up his true identity intrigued him just a wee bit, but that hardly mattered now that he had already resigned himself to his fate.

She covered the distance between them briskly and stood before him, looking expectantly at him. Her hands were clenched tightly by her side, thought Adrian noticed with amusement that one of her hands were pretty close to a bulge by the side of her jeans, no doubt by the compact size of it a gun.

Deciding that unless she initiated a conversation, he would be contented to just sit back and enjoy his drink, Adrian stretched himself more comfortably on the coach, amused by the shock in the girl's eyes. She had obviously anticipated him to be trembling with fear by now, and not calm and composed as if he was in no danger of losing his very life.

"You're a vampire." A statement, not a question, and one Adrian didn't quite feel obliged to answer.

He shrugged in response.

A flame ignited in her eyes, though she kept her anger in check. He noted the stiffening of her body, along with how her other fist scrunched the side of her jeans in agitation. Interesting. What could have possibly happened to this girl that had made her resent vampires so much?

Finally, Adrian lifted his eyes and gave her a thorough once-over. Her raven hair cascaded around her deceptively delicate face and ended somewhere around her waist. Her glowing blood red eyes shone with anger, her chin possessing a stubborn tilt to it as she leveled his stare head on. The blouse she had on did little to hide her curvy figure, if only accentuating it further. It also pulled tightly over her ample chest, which she had pushed out in what he recognized to be an action that would make her appear bolder and bigger. Neither did it exactly help, for he was pretty sure that he would still tower above her if he rose to his full height.

Adrian felt a flicker of something, something long forgotten and buried deep within him. Something akin to the rekindling of an old flame. Surprised at that dormant emotion, he shoved at it back into the darkness. He did not need anything else except for the sweet oblivion that would follow his ascend to the heavens.

_Heaven?_ He mused, wondering whether it truly existed or not. Vampires were never inclined to believe in the afterlife. After all, they were considered undead by the humans, and they normally lived a pretty long life. What was the use of brooding over such a morbid subject, when they had such a long life to look forward to?

"Vampire." She snapped Adrian back to the harsh reality and he blinked. She had somehow managed to close even more distance, and now he could see that she was not unaffected by his presence as he had once thought. She was quivering slightly – from fear? – and had one of her hand in the pocket of her jeans, no doubt where the gun was. "Why are you not begging for mercy?" The words left her mouth in an outraged hiss.

"I have no intention to." Adrian drawled, tilting the glass of brandy towards his mouth and draining it. He then proceeded to regard the empty glass with disdain. "Have you ever wished that they made these wine glasses a little bit larger?"

Her nostrils flared. "Do you have no wish to live?"

He laughed humorlessly. "Maybe I wish to depart from this world."

Her eyes revealed surprise, which she quickly masked behind an expression of indifference. "Why?"

"Why?" Adrian eyed the gorgeous girl in front of him, contemplating telling her the entire story of his miserable love life. Then thought better of it. How could she ever relate to him? "It hardly matters now, doesn't it? Just get it over with and shoot me or something. I promise not to retaliate."

* * *

><p>Rebecca Otaril gaped in astonishment at the vampire who had the <em>nerve<em> to lounge around in front of her after she had threatened to pull the trigger at him. He had merely looked amused.

_Amused._

As if he wasn't afraid about the prospect of dying.

"Member." His silky smooth voice rolled over her, as assuring and tender as a lover's touch. It took her awhile before she registered that he had just called her by the name most vampires addressed them. "You got that faraway look in your eyes. Thinking about which would be the best course of action to end my life? Would you like some suggestions?"

Rebecca was pretty sure that the word 'shock' did not do justice to the intense surprise that was causing her to feel disconcerted and a little giddy. Never had she once looked upon someone so intent on leaving the world before, never had she once set her eyes upon someone who looked as tormented as the vampire in front of him did. Those beautiful emerald eyes were overshadowed by anguish, anguish that somehow mirrored her own deep within her, behind the walls that she had carefully erected after she had lost her family to his very kind.

Reminding herself once again that he was the enemy, regardless of how he roused emotions buried within her she thought dead, she wrapped her fingers around the cool metal of her Glock, courtesy of the Guild when she had joined their ranks. It had served her well on several of her missions to assassinate the vampires that she sought revenge after, to quench that insatiable thirst for blood to avenge her family.

And it would serve her well again.

The thought of killing the vampire in front of her did not rest well in her gut however, and she felt bile rise up her throat.

_Damn it. _Cursing herself for letting him get under her skin – the very beings she abhorred – she pulled out her Glock and aimed it unsteadily at the chest of the vampire. She surveyed his face once again, hoping to spot fear, or anger or _something_ that would justify her actions of killing him.

Nothing.

His expression was blank, tranquility settling over him as he relaxed languidly against the soft coach. He raised an eyebrow at her hesitation. "What's wrong now? Are you considering skinning me alive instead of shooting me?"

She gritted her teeth, responsibility and a foreign emotion warring against each other. The latter, however unrecognized and unknown, won. "I can't do it."

He almost looked… dejected. "No? I guess I'd just have to find one of the other Members lurking around here to get him to finish the job."

"What's with you? Why are you so willing to sacrifice yourself?" Rebecca asked, trying to talk him out of killing himself without knowing why. All she knew was that she had felt an instant connection with him and would do anything to hold on to that thin thread she had never experienced with anybody else except for her –

_Do not go there._ She commanded herself, determined not to mourn for her past loss.

"There you go again; drifting off. I'm almost tempted to ask what's going on in that pretty head of yours." He bantered, flashing her a charming smile. Almost immediately, he lost that smile and shook his head, as if wondering why he had done that.

Pretty? He thought she was pretty? _I'm not happy about that compliment, _she growled even as a feminine part of her rejoiced. _His opinion means nothing to me. _"Answer my question." She insisted.

A pained look entered his eyes, softening her even further. "I would hardly call what I'm doing sacrifice. A sacrifice is noble, is it not?" He laughed, but it was once again devoid of humor. "The reason for what I'm doing is hardly noble."

"What is it then?" She pushed further, still unable to fathom why she was so concerned about his plight. It mattered nothing to her, and in the end, he still had to die. Like the rest of his kind.

"I don't want to talk about it." He shook his head ruefully. "I came here to forget my troubles, and yet you seem to be trying to drag the dregs of my past up again."

His words pierced through her, reminding her of the reason for her presence here. She stiffened, mentally reprimanding herself for doing something so foolish. Still, she couldn't strengthen her resolve enough to hurt him, much less kill him. He seemed so… tormented that death would be too light a punishment for him. She would let him live, and only because she knew that he would suffer more alive than dead, and not because she truly cared for his well-being.

Approving her choice, she marched forward and grasped his hand. That small, innocent touch that served nothing but to get him out of the club sent a shockwave of sensation up her arm, straight to her very core.

She shivered.

Either something was very wrong with her, or she had clearly misjudged how much this vampire affected her composure. Tamping down any other emotions that threatened to escape from that very touch, she dragged him stiffly across the room. He followed her without question, though he had tensed when she had grabbed his hand.

Had he felt it too?

_Does it matter? _Reprimanding herself again for her foolishness, she stormed out off the club, keeping him behind her all the time to prevent the other Members from getting a clear look at his face. She had hardly noticed his faint aura, the only evidence of his true identity, but something unexplainable had forced her attention onto him. And her gaze had lingered on him, deducing that something about him wasn't right. Only then had she been able to zero in on the flickering aura, so weak it would not show on the Radar, a piece of high tech equipment the Guild used to track vampires.

Still unable to comprehend the burning need to protect this vampire she had known for a few minutes at most, and why she was actually putting her life at stake to assist someone of the race she despised the most, she sauntered past the line of defense put into place by the Guild to prevent any vampire stragglers from escaping.

She got past the circle of muscle without incidence, probably because those men were too busy staring at her body then actually paying any heed to the boy trailing her. When she finally got to a decent distance away from the club, she released her firm grip on his hand.

"Go back to where you came from." She muttered, pivoting on her heel to head back to her post before her absence was spotted. Her palm still burned from the heat of his body, and she realized that her hand wasn't the only place that was aching with a deep flush.

"Why did you do that?" Bewilderment laced his words as he spun her around roughly, his fingers brushing her cheeks fleetingly, but her skin seared wherever he had grazed her.

"I don't know." She admitted, clasping her hands together nervously. "Just… get going." She whirled around again, determined to head back before anybody reported her 'irresponsible' departure from her post.

"Wait!" The vampire called out, halting her in her tracks.

"Yes?" She responded warily.

"My name's Adrian. What's yours?"

_Adrian. A fitting name. _"Rebecca." Not trusting herself to say anymore, she stalked back to the club, feeling his eyes boring into her retreating back.

"I hope we meet again, Rebecca." His last words echoed in the darkness, sending a shiver of awareness down her spine.

She had a few minutes before she reached the club, and she used whatever remained of those precious minutes to strengthen the shields around her again. No way was she going to be so kind to anybody again, and for her own good, she hoped that she would never see Adrian again.

"I hope not, Adrian." She whispered, sure that he could not hear her.

She was too unpredictable around him. She had approached him, wanting to end his life, but had let him go in the end. _Let him go! _What kind of Member did that?

Not her.

The Guild had helped her when she had been wrecked with sadness, and she had a debt to repay. Along with a debt to settle.

She would not let him go the next time they met.

Because that time, she would not let any emotions get in the way.

She would kill Adrian.

* * *

><p><strong>Do I sense a little bit of flare between Adrian and the mysterious Rebecca? ;D <strong>

**I promise that Eddie and Noel would get their romance pretty soon. In a few more chapters, I promise. Not too fast though, since there are a lot more events leading up to it :) **

**Review pleeaaaase.**


	10. EddieNoel 9!

Eddie was pretty sure he had already been awed by the Tarus family's wealth, but he still couldn't help himself from practically slobbering over the looming mansion ahead of him. The wrought iron gates itself was a sight to salivate over; the iron bars were coated with gold, or so it seems to appear. It wasn't possible for the whole gate to be made of solid gold… Right?

The gates opened without a sound, boasting of how well maintained it was despite the frequent storms. The wheels of the limousine crunched against the gravel as it moved forward with deliberate slowness, not that he was complaining though.

It gave him a chance to drool over everything in sight.

It took almost another minute to reach the garage, the estate was that large. Eddie realized that to deem the building where the limousine would be parked a 'garage' was an insult. It seemed more like an aircraft hangar than a garage, with its spaciousness and luxury. Not that an aircraft hangar would have such comfort, but it was the closest thing Eddie could relate it to in such short notice. A crest resembling a Taurus rearing back before charging forward hung over the polished marble walls, gleaming in the rays of the morning sun.

Leoric caught him gaping and followed the direction of his stare. "That's the family crest of the Tarus. Impressive, isn't it?"

Eddie nodded dumbly, enraptured by the way the light bounced off the carefully sculptured work of art. "It's beautiful."

Leoric laughed heartily. "I won't have it any other way."

Eddie approached the crest, the representative animal of the Tarus clan. "What does it mean?"

"Strength," The Moroi stepped forward, mirroring his movements. "Courage. Pride. Values all Tarus family members live by." Leoric, too, gazed at the symbol wistfully for a long moment in silence before he inclined his head towards Eddie. "Come, your tour of the estate awaits."

"A pretty long tour, from how huge this place is." Eddie murmured.

"It's not all sightseeing, Eddie. I need you to check the defenses I have in place and tell me what you think we lack. I'm not taking any chances of the Strigois breaching my house, even if we're a good distance away from the nearest house."

It was true; the Tarus estate resided far from prying eyes. It was secluded and remote, providing the perfect housing for the eccentric millionaire Leoric had made the human population believe he was. It was the perfect cover in Eddie's opinion, for nobody would question his movement or speculate about his aversion to sunlight. The only problem he could imagine was bringing Noel to school from here.

_Noel. _Ever since his announcement about staying away from her, she had shunned him as if he was a vile insect. She refused to even acknowledge his presence, preferring to remain in her room and shooting a snide remark or two his way whenever they had to speak. If he didn't knew better, Eddie would think that she was angry with him for staying away from her.

But he did know better.

And it was for the best.

Even if a part of him begged to differ.

"Eddie?" Leoric's voice dragged him out of his thoughts. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Eddie shook his head to clear his mind. "I apologize. I got lost in my thoughts."

Amusement glinted in Leoric's eyes and he smiled in comprehension. "Not used to it yet?"

"Nope," Eddie admitted, still a little shocked by how perceptive the Moroi was. However, it wasn't that surprising once he had found out that Leoric was on the Council. Wealth solely could not have ensured him such a lavish position, and he had to have other admirable qualities to get him there. "I never expected things to be so…"

"Different?" Leoric raised an eyebrow. When Eddie nodded, his expression turned pensive. "I guess it would take you a while to adjust. Don't take too long though, I have a few friends coming over for a reunion on Sunday."

Eddie frowned. It was already Friday, so he only had a day to learn the proper manner to go around with his duties. "I will try my best."

"Good." Leoric nodded in approval and kept to his word by giving Eddie the entire tour. The whole estate was split into four different sectors : work, relaxation, recreational and dining. The dining sector was located on an airy balcony, overlooking the surrounding forest. The entire place was put together from wooden planks, ranging from dark ebony to light mahogany, making it seem as one with Mother Nature just a few meters away.

The relaxation and recreational sectors occupied a majority of the land, boasting of a tennis court, heated pools, a Jacuzzi and a Zen garden – a recent addition by Leoric in an attempt to calm his feisty daughter down.

The failure of his noble intent was obvious.

Most people would figure that a someone as wealthy as Leoric would never bother with work around the house since he had a number of servants to see to his every whim. On the contrary, he enjoyed and spent most of his free time working outside, fixing broken furniture – courtesy of Noel during her many temper spikes – and piecing together new ones. Much to Eddie's surprise, most, if not all of the furniture in the Tarus household was made single-handedly by him.

The working sector, therefore, had a tool shed with a wide assortment of equipment. It was also the last area on the tour, and Eddie had found every defense set in place satisfactory. Enchanted stakes were all in the appropriate place to ward Strigois off, and the cobblestone walls surrounding the estate did not show any signs of corroding or weakening.

"Everything is in order," Eddie reported as they finished their round. "I don't see how anybody can get in without setting off the alarms."

"Good, good." Leoric seemed reassured. "Now that you know your way around the house, I'll get someone to show you to your room."

"Sure." Eddie replied, grateful for the reprieve. He needed a bit of rest, considering how he had not gotten a wink of sleep yesterday night. He was too busy trying to force his erection down – to no avail, he might add. Knowing the Noel was just a door away, well within his reach, did nothing to soothe the burning ache to sink inside her body.

No, it only intensified it.

Leoric nodded curtly, turned and strode back to the mansion with a regal air. Halfway, he stopped and pivoted to face Eddie again. "One more thing."

A tingle of dread shot down Eddie's spine. "Yes?"

"I have given you a room to facilitate your guarding duties of Noel."

Warning bells started chiming inside his mind, but he ignored it. Surely not… "And what is that?"

Leoric shot him a surprised glance. "Do you need to ask? Your room is adjoined to hers."

* * *

><p>Noel stomped up to her room, angry and frustrated with a certain someone she can't seem to get out of her mind. So much so that she had declared his face somehow adhered to the inside of her brain, making it an impossible task to forget him.<p>

Not that she was trying extremely hard.

Of course, she had come up with a reason for her inability to dismiss Eddie from her thoughts. She had not fed for the past 2 days, weakening her considerably – both mentally and physically. That, she rationalized, was the only plausible reason. She refused to entertain any other ridiculous notions that were along the lines of her being obsessed with him.

She was _not._

Realizing that she had just given that notion a second thought – yes, second, not first – she flung open the door to her room with far more force than necessary. Even her previous crush, who had hurt her irrevocably, had not taken residence inside her mind for so long a period of time. And the fact that Eddie had wriggled his way in in just a short span of days…

No.

She wasn't going there.

Besides, he had announced his intention to stay away from her. She would allow that as it worked to her benefit. Without him around to distract her from her vow, she won't have to worry about getting closer to Eddie. Not that she was going to get closer to him, of course. She won't dream of it.

Except that she had dreamt of it.

A few times.

_Ergh! _This contradictory nature of hers that had never stuck around before was starting to get on her nerves. She had never been so uncertain before, she had always had a tight grip on her life. Now, with the arrival of her Guardian, it seems that her control had slipped away, leaving her in a never ending spiral that only she can pull herself out from.

And the only way to do that is to get rid of Eddie.

Fast.

* * *

><p><strong>Here comes trouble for Eddie... Or will the plan backfire and somehow bring the two closer? ;D <strong>

**I've made up my mind about which characters I would be writing about.**

**One, is of course, Eddie Castile.**

**Next, the one and only Adrian Ivashkov.**

**Third, the young and underaged (:) Jill Maestro (Dragomir)?**

**LASTLY, THE NEWEST ARRIVAL!**

**MIA RINALDI. **

**Yes, that little bitch that fucked up Rose's life for the first part of the series. Since she turned to the good side, I figured she deserves a happy ending as well. Can you guess the pairings for Mia and Jill? Guess!**

**A cookie for you if you guess it right :)**

**Until next time!**


	11. EddieNoel 10!

**A/N : As promised, some action between Eddie and Noel ;)**

**And I think I have to make some things clear.**

**This story is purely based on Noel/Eddie, and I'm not putting any Rebecca/Adrian, Jill/Mysterious Boy or Mia/Mysterious Boy. Those would be sequels to this story, a 4 part series for each couple. The Adrian and Rebecca scenes are just seeds that I have to plant before anything can happen between them. Don't worry, each one of them will be pretty long with complications and more scenes like such. In fact, they will probably be quite common.**

**I'm still deciding on the titles of the next few series. **

**Do you intend for me to just upload all the stories into Fixing the Broken, or should I stare separate stories? **

**Anyway, currently, the next three titles will be as the following.**

**Adrian Ivashkov and Rebecca Otaril : Healing the Wounded**

**Jill Dragomir and Spencer King**** (Fine, let me give you the name) : Mending the Scarred**

**Mia Rinaldi and Ethan Trege : Rebuilding the Scattered**

**So! That's what's you can expect over the next... 2 years with how slow I'm uploading. But hey, patience is a virtue :)**

* * *

><p>Eddie Castile inspected his room thoroughly, memorizing all the exits so that he would be able to navigate his way even in the dark. He had good eyesight even in the dark, but it paid to be prepared. You never know when some things might come in handy, and he wasn't about to take any chances.<p>

His roving eyes settled on the second wooden door in his room – the door that Eddie swore he would avoid at all costs. The moment Leoric had told him about his room arrangements, he had instantly thought of late-night meetings with Noel.

Only that it did not comprise of any talking.

Moaning? Sure. Oh, and he probably didn't need to mention that there would be a pile of garments littered on the floor.

However, it was all just a fantasy. It was never going to happen as long as he kept his distance, which is something that he was going to adhere to. In mere two days, he will officially take on his role as Noel's Guardian – something he wasn't exactly looking forward to despite all the hype. No longer was he at the Vampire Academy undergoing strenuous training or doing a practical assignment.

No, he was facing the real world.

The real, cruel world that can crush lives in a second in its palm without a second thought.

With real lives at stake.

Eddie glanced at his clothing and grimaced at the realization of the days he had spent wearing them. Immediately, he emptied his suitcase and fished out a fresh change of clothes. Indulging himself in a hot bath was his first order of business, he mused as he entered the magnificent bathroom that matched the size of his room back at the Academy.

Work could wait for now.

* * *

><p>Noel Tarus rubbed her hands together gleefully as she went over the details of her plan one last time. It was genius, if she would say so herself. She will put the plan into motion tomorrow in the morning – with a little help from some of the servants, of course.<p>

Eddie will have the rudest awakening of his life.

She chuckled darkly at that thought. Serves him right for being such a dick anyway. Even though it probably wasn't his fault for how she was unable to forget him, punishing him a little seemed to be a wonderful way to get revenge.

Noel's phone at the side of her desk started playing a special tune that informed her of Scarlet's call. Immediately cheered up by the prospect of talking to her best friend again, she reached for her phone and greeted Scarlet joyously. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Scarlet replied in kind, her musical voice never failing to lighten Noel's spirits. "How was the trip?"

"Alright, I guess…" Noel answered, twirling a strand of her hair as she contemplated whether to tell her about Eddie's arrival. She decided a second later that she won't tell her everything, but just let on a little and let her speculate until Monday, when they would meet each other. For some reason, the idea of Eddie and Scarlet chatting together did not rest well in her gut. "I did bring something back, however."

"Something for me?" Scarlet squealed.

"Of course." Noel laughed, remembering Scarlet's request for her to buy something special back for her. Seeing how the Vampire Academy didn't exactly have a souvenir shop, she was relegated to shopping at the airport terminal. Still, she had managed to snag a necklace that wasn't too over the top – according to her budget, that was – to gift to Scarlet. "You'll love it."

"I hope it wasn't very expensive." Noel could almost hear the frown in Scarlet's tone of voice.

"It wasn't." Noel reassured her friend. Not exactly a lie. It was only a few hundred. Or was it a few thousand? "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Some of our friends are gathering for some last minute shopping today. Want to come too?"

There was no hesitation. "Sure. Place and time?"

"I'll message you the details later. They're still making up their mind."

"Alright. See you later!" Scarlet hung up.

Noel smiled as she returned the phone back to its usual position and scrutinized her plan further. It had to work to perfection; there was no room for mistakes. She had not had a spur of brilliance for so long that anticipation buzzed in her veins, making her feel more alive than ever.

Stretching her arms over her shoulders languidly, she glanced around her room. Her eyes landed on an unexpected, offensive wooden door that wasn't there when she had left for Montana. She frowned; her father had not told her anything about any addition to her room. It looked dull and out of place against her rose colored walls. She would have that problem rectified immediately, she thought as she sauntered over.

First, she will appease her curiosity by finding out where it leads to.

* * *

><p>Eddie luxuriated in the feel of the warm water running against his skin as he scrubbed away the accumulating filth and dirt from his long travel. The warm water not only did miracles to his skin, it also seemed to lift the fog surrounding his mind, allowing him to think with startling clarity. For once since he had met Noel, he was able to really figure out what was going on between them.<p>

There was attraction and desire – that was obvious. Way too obvious and strong for his liking, but it just made it undeniable.

But could there be something else underlying all of that?

_No. _Eddie shook his head roughly, sending water droplets in all directions. _Impossible._

Such a thought shouldn't even be entertained, he thought grimly as he switched off the shower, the bathroom sinking into silence save for a few drops of water that leaked from the shower. It would just create more chaos and discomfort between the both of them, adding to the tension which was mounting and building, no doubt just awaiting the correct moment to explode and give him a fuck load of shit to handle.

So caught up in his thoughts, Eddie didn't hear the slow creaking of the door that he had worried over for the past few minutes.

So caught up in his thoughts, Eddie didn't hear the soft footsteps against the carpeted floor that neared the bathroom.

However, he _did _hear the faint, soft voice partially blocked by the thick walls that suspiciously resembled that of Noel's saying something indecipherable.

That was all the warning he got before the bathroom door flung open.

* * *

><p>Noel pushed open the door and poked her head inside, her eyes taking note of the pale pink tiles and fogged mirror – fogged? A rough intake of breath caught her attention and unbidden, her gaze fell on 6 feet and 2 inches of delectable muscled male body.<p>

A gasp left her mouth before she even registered it and she stared dumbly at Eddie, entranced by his tanned chest that was on full display. She couldn't help herself when her gaze dipped lower, past his navel, envying the rivulets of water lingering there and the trail of hai –

Eddie cleared his throat loudly, whirling on his feet so that his back faced her, breaking her out of the sensual web he had managed to encase her in just by standing still in his birthday suit. Scowling at how fascinated she had found his body, and – God save her – how she had wanted to lick every inch of his skin, it took a few seconds for Noel to realize she should be embarrassed instead of angry. Heat crept up her neck and she withdrew her head, flushing furiously from that forbidden glimpse.

She already had trouble forgetting a fully clothed Eddie, but now that she had seen him naked? She might as well bid goodbye to any hopes of removing him from his thoughts anytime soon.

"Y-You should have shouted that you were inside there." Noel murmured, absolutely mortified.

"I didn't hear you until it was too late" was the gritted reply. His voice was rough as gravel, a deep rumble that caused goose bumps to break out over her flesh in response. So he was affected as much as her? Interesting…

_No! Not interesting! _

Contemplating whether to apologize or not, Noel glanced uncertainly at the door she had entered – the same door that would be her escape from the wrath Eddie would surely unleash on her. _It wasn't my fault, _she reasoned with herself. _He didn't reply when I called out. _Satisfied that she wasn't in the wrong, she padded lightly on the thick carpet towards her salvation.

Two meters more… She risked a glance backwards and heaved a sigh of relief when Eddie didn't appear.

Just a few steps more…

"Noel." Eddie's gruff voice rang out, breaking the deafening silence of the room. Noel's confidence evaporated in an instant, replaced by fear and... something else that made her pulse jump into overdrive. Dreading the sight that will greet her, she turned with deliberate slowness to face the music.

And ended up gaping at the half naked boy standing in front of her. He had only hastily thrown on a pair of jeans which fit snugly at his waist, giving her another opportunity to gawk at his finely sculptured torso. His hair was still wet and messy from the bath and droplets of water clung to the ends. His lips was pulled into a mulish line, tight with anger, his eyes burning with a bright flame.

Her traitorous body responded despite herself, desire pooling low in her belly as her legs threatened to buckle. "Wh-What? It wasn't my fault, I – "

Eddie grinned slowly, a devious grin that no doubt sent women onto their knees. "Oh no, we're not going to be discussing this."

Her breath caught in her throat when he slowly advanced forward, his scent – pines and oak – drifting over and enveloping her in a delicious cocoon. "W-We're not?"

"Hell no." A glint of mischief that should have sent her running shone in his eyes. But like the quivering mass Noel was, she couldn't. She suspected that a part of her didn't want to neither, reacting to him wantonly. "We're doing something better."

She gulped at his innuendo. "Wh-What if I don't want to?" Her voice quivered, the huskiness of her voice betraying her words. She backed up with equal slowness, feeling awfully like a cornered prey that was about to be plundered from.

And Eddie was the predator.

She barely stifled a whimper when her back met the coolness of the marble wall. She gave a desperate glance around her for any route of escape, which seemed to only encourage him for Eddie's nostrils flared.

"Oh, I think you want to." He drawled, his hazel eyes sparkling with obvious amusement.

Indignation burnt through her, the anger reviving the smothered confidence. Sure, she might actually want it. Want might be an understatement, more like _crave _it. But she would die before she admitted it to him. "I do _not."_

He halted in his tracks, a predatory glint in his eyes taking over. She shivered at the intensity of his gaze that seemed to strip away all her clothes, leaving her bare and… undeniably aroused. "Then I would just have to prove to you that you want it with all your being, won't I?"

Noel didn't even have time to process his words before he grabbed hold of her shoulders roughly, his head tilting to the side and claiming her lips.

* * *

><p>Eddie swallowed her startled cry, enjoying the softness of her plump lips way too much. Noel reacted stiffly at first, but after more prodding from his tongue, she gave a sigh – of pleasure? – and kissed him back with mirrored intensity.<p>

Lifting his hands that held her shoulder in place in case she wanted to wriggle free, Eddie circled one hand around her waist to bring her closer to him. Her breasts meshed against his chest, and he hissed at the incredible sensation. She moaned against his mouth, the sound reverberating deep within him.

His other hand curled around her nape, giving him a better angle to deepen the kiss. He reveled in her sweet taste, sure that he had never experienced something so mind blowing. He let go of whatever inhibitions that had held him back at the start and kissed her with fervor, knowing that they were both lost in that moment. And that was all that it was, just a moment of brief insanity that they would both come to regret later.

But not now.

He would take whatever she offered, and give whatever he can.

Her fingers weaved through his hair, holding his head down as she undulated her hips against his straining erection. He didn't come close to stifling the gasp. Knowing that it was all going too fast and getting out of hand, he pulled away, panting for air.

A moan of distraught escaped Noel's lips and she opened her eyes, emerald and glassy eyes that gazed up at him. "Don't. Stop." She panted, tugging his head back to her moist lips that had tormented him for days without respite.

"Yes." He agreed breathlessly, helpless to do otherwise. His erection attested to that. Their lips once again found each other, and their tongues met in a heated clash. Mindless to everything else but what transpired between them, Eddie wedged his knee between her legs, pushing her higher against the bookcase so as to be face to face with her.

The core of her burned through the fabric of his jeans, branding him with her heat. Both of Eddie's hands lifted to cup the smooth skin of her face, better angling her mouth for his questing tongue. She abided eagerly, matching the parries and trust of his tongue. Her arms hugged around his neck, clinging onto him like the sole lifeline in a wild storm. And Eddie knew without a doubt that he would never let go of her.

Ironically, it was also that alarming thought that caused him to draw away, shaking his head free of the sensual fog that hampered his thinking. "We… We have to stop." He murmured, stepping back and not quite meeting Noel's gaze.

"Why?" She bit her swollen lower lip uncertainly. "Was it so bad? I – "

"No." Eddie said in a hushed tone. "It was good" – Fantastic – "but this could never work between us."

Her expression hardened, a steely resolve curtaining her vulnerable features. "Thank you for the reminder." She said curtly as she straightened her rumpled clothing, her lips thin from anger. "Next time, however, if you worry about that so much, do not initiate such a… meeting again."

Eddie glared back at her with equal animosity. "Noted with delight."

Noel gave a clipped nod and opened the door joining their rooms. She regarded the wooden furniture with disgust before speaking, "I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on because of this arrangement."

"Yes." And how the hell was he going to survive that if he had already gotten a taste of her? One thing he knew for sure, a single taste wasn't enough. He doubted it would ever be.

"Then," She whirled around and spat out, "you better ask for a change of rooms because I would never even consider staying in close proximity with someone like you."

With one last withering glare, she banged the door shut in his face, the sound resounding in the enclosed room, echoing dully from the walls long after she had left as Eddie merely stood rooted to the ground, dumbstruck and feeling an absurd ache in his chest.


	12. EddieNoel 11!

Huffing with anger and something else she couldn't quite identify – some weird ache in her chest – Noel collapsed face first onto her plushy bed, the sole thing she could rely on to always catch her when she falls.

Well, if the bed was directly in front of the direction she was falling towards, of course.

Otherwise, she would fall flat on her face onto the ground, like countless times before.

She knew her father loved her, lavishing attention and money and everything she could ever desire on her, just hoping to make her happy. She appreciated his efforts, but couldn't find the heart to tell him that monetary possessions weren't what she was searching for. What she really needed was affection, which continued to elude her despite her frenzied attempts to secure commitment from somebody. Her father could never provide that due to his long hours at work, and besides for the rare trips like the recent one to Montana, she hardly even saw him.

If there was one thing she had discovered from the failed relationships that she had been in, it was that boys her age did not do commitment well. They were dickheads that jumped from boat to boat after sinking them without looking back.

Her thoughts returned to Eddie. Irritating, sexy-as-hell and utterly off-limits Eddie. It was a good thing that he had stopped things before anything happened – she wasn't disappointed, no way – because she had been lost in that moment of passion and would probably have ended up losing her dignity – along with her virginity, with how fast everything was happening.

But then again, why did he stop it? Most boys would have taken it all the way and not give a fuck until they had 'gotten some', as some would so kindly put it. All Noel knew was that Eddie wasn't what she had expected.

That still didn't mean that they can be together, though.

Not that she would allow it even if the opportunity came, anyway. Never, ever. No way. Nuh-uh. Impossible.

Well, if his kisses were _that_ mind blowing, maybe she would consider…

_Don't go there._

A knock at her door broke her train of thoughts. Using her elbows as support, she craned her head, frowning at the protrusion into her privacy. Infamously known throughout the household as a firecracker that can explode at any moment, only a handful of the servants dared to interact with her, and only one had the guts to knock at her door.

Coincidentally, that person was one of Noel's most trusted friends.

But whatever was she doing, knocking at her door at such a weird time? The clock on her nightstand declared it late in the afternoon, nearing dinner time. However, she had mentioned specifically to not be called down for dinner, rather to have dinner delivered straight to her room. She didn't want to have dinner in the presence of Eddie who seemed to have the power to kill all her brain cells and make her hormones go into red alert.

Reluctantly, Noel swung her legs onto the side of her bed and hopped off, walking over to the door and opening it just a gap. "What?"

Like she had thought, Lina Trille's beautiful black eyes peered through the small crack. "Your father wants to see you regarding the reunion tomorrow."

Noel waved a dismissive hand in the air, plopping back down onto her bed. "Later."

Lina rolled her eyes. "He specifically mentioned 'now' for a reason."

"I won't worry my pretty little head about that." Noel inspected her nails, knowing very well that her father's threats never carried any weight behind them.

"I would, since he looked as if he would have my head if you don't go down immediately." Lina sauntered over and sat down next to Noel, an unconcerned smile on her face despite her words. "Now, spill. Who's that gorgeous boy you brought back from your trip to Montana?"

Noel had met Lina when she was only 6 years old, and under less than desirable circumstances. She had been sent to some sort of nursery when her father had left for a business trip – with strict instructions to her caretaker to do whatever was necessary to keep her in check. Noel had never understood the phrase 'don't get into trouble' – she had a tendency to cause mishaps wherever she went, leaving destruction in her wake.

The nursery was no exception.

An hour into her weeklong stay, she had knocked over two vases, scratched a cushion to shreds and burnt a potted plant to a crisp. In her defense, the vases were downright ugly-as-hell, the cushion was blocking her way into the pantry and therefore hindering her endeavor to find a snack and the potted plant was already wilting anyway.

No harm done.

Mrs. Klington, her caretaker, thought otherwise though.

In a (futile) bid to teach her discipline and punish her for her actions, Mrs. Klington – the fucking old hag! – had locked her in a cage. Yes, a fucking cage that was probably meant for pets.

It didn't help that Noel was allergic to them.

So she was trapped in the small cage that allowed her just about zero movement for a whole torturous hour, all the while trying to block out Mrs. Klington's chastisement about her 'actions that could have endangered everyone in the vicinity'. When she didn't apologize – she wasn't exactly feeling very repentant about her actions, considering how she lit her caretaker's dress on fire in the middle of her speech – Mrs Klington declared her incorrigible and sentenced her to lifetime of imprisonment, or until her father came back.

Which was a fucking 2 weeks.

Or would be, if Lina had not been around. Luckily, her BFF was recently transferred to the nursery and they both hated Mrs. Klington to the core. Lina somehow pilfered the keys and released Noel, and they were always together since then. Of course, they utilized the remaining time they had together before Leoric picked Noel up by causing as much damage as possible.

When Leoric returned, the once proud nursery resembled a shack.

A charred, crumbling shack.

Mrs. Klington was sent for rehabilitation after the incident but Noel doubted she would ever regain her sanity after all that she had gone through. In fact, she admired the woman for being able to withstand almost everything she and Lina had dished out. Till now, she couldn't exactly determine which one of their last pranks caused her to hurtle over the edge to insanity. Was it the teensy little conflagration she had caused – by_ accident, _mind you – that burnt down a wing of the nursery or the burnt and sweetened – yes, sweetened, since they both agreed unanimously that their caretaker needed to be sweeter to them, who would have thought that sugar didn't make someone nicer? – eggs that Lina had fried for Mrs. Klington for breakfast.

Noel suspected it was the latter, considering how Mrs. Klington always fussed about how her eggs must be 'evenly fried, with the yolk in the middle'. Whenever they messed up with the eggs, Mrs. Klington would seemingly have some sort of heart attack, so it was of no surprise that the burnt eggs might have been the last straw.

"He's my new Guardian." Noel managed to sound somewhat disdainful at the discussion, even as her heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of Eddie. God, that kiss…

_Mind out of the gutter, Noel!_

Lina pouted adorably. "Why do you always get the best looking ones?"

"I can't help it if I'm a magnet for everything good-looking."

An unladylike snort from Lina. "Not to mention a magnet for trouble as well. Wherever you go, a trail of destruction follows."

"Hey! That's in the past." Noel protested. "I have full control over my element now."

Lina arched a perfectly sculptured eyebrow. "Should I remind you of the fiasco at the barbeque – "

Noel held out her palm, shaking her head. "It wasn't my fault. How could I possibly have known that a moron decided to butter up the ribs? And who in the world would have thought that butter was highly flammable?"

"It's standard procedure, Noel." Exasperation laced Lina's tone. "Everybody knows that."

"Apparently, I missed that particular briefing." One of Noel's dainty shoulders lifted up in a carefree shrug. The result of her little mishap was about only… five acres of scorched land, give or take a few. It will return to its original state in a few decades anyway. No harm done.

Lina sighed, throwing her hands up in surrender. "I give up."

Lina was a Dhampir, and was apparently abandoned by her parents at a young age, so much so that she can't even remember them. She had been hopping from orphanage to orphanage, until someone had decided to take her into their family. She was sent to the same nursery Noel was condemned to for the couple to collect her.

However, after the fire that razed a portion of the building – the blame was partially shifted onto Lina as well – the couple immediately withdrew their offer to adopt her. All the better for Noel, for she managed to convince her father – after about a minute of throwing her tantrum around – to allow Lina to stay at their house.

Ever since, Noel had sought solace from Lina whenever life dealt her a fatal blow, and she was basically her only anchor in what might otherwise be a spiral to oblivion.

Lina had been determined to work off her debts to Leoric's generosity by helping out around the house, and despite Noel's insistence that she owed her father nothing, she had not caved. Juggling school and work around the mansion proved to be a huge deterrence in Lina's social life though because she hardly had the time to go out and socialize. Still, Lina thought that was the least she could do to pay back the gigantic debt she owed the Tarus family.

"Earth to Noel, _hellooooo?" _Lina waved a hand to and fro in front of her friend who looked slightly dazed.

The faraway look in Noel's eyes vanished and she blinked rapidly. "Sorry, was thinking about the past."

Lina's lips curved at the reminder of the times they shared. "Sweet memories, I hope."

Noel grinned back at her. "Was there any doubt?"

"Back to my previous question," Lina tapped a finger against her cheeks thoughtfully, eyes looking straight at Noel. Gauging her reaction? "what's his name?"

Feigning ignorance, Noel asked, "Who?"

Lina made a sound of frustration. "You know who I'm talking about, quit beating about the bush."

Suddenly feeling very protective of her Eddie – _no, not hers, never hers –_ Noel tilted her head sideways and inspected her childhood friend. Lina had straight chocolate hair that went along perfectly with her slightly tanned skin, reminding Noel a little of Rose's complexion. Her eyes were jet black, bright and polished. Her pixie features gave her the cute, irresistible charm that most guys fell for.

_Will Eddie like her? _Noel wondered irrationally, then had to tamp down a wave of jealousy that washed over her. _I don't care who he ends up with, _she reprimanded herself sternly, although not confident about her words. The thought of him with another girl, even Lina, her friend –

Noel fisted her hands stiffly by her side. She will _not _go down that route. It wasn't up for discussion. Eddie can do whatever he wants with his life and she won't give a damn about it.

"So?" Lina probed further, oblivious to Noel's inner turmoil. Interest gleamed in her eyes – for Eddie?

"His name is Eddie," Noel gritted out through the haze of jealousy. _And he's mine, _a part of her wanted to shout out, not willing to let any other person have any claim on him. He was, after all, her Guardian, and only hers. That was the only reason why she was so damn possessive about him, she justified. Yes, that was it. It had nothing to do with her feelings – no, she had _no _feelings for him, damn it! – for Eddie.

Lina's eyes narrowed for a quarter of a second before at Noel's reaction before she grinned. "You could have just told me you already had dibs on him."

Relief poured through her that Lina won't be pursuing Eddie even as she fought to get a denial past her lips. But failed. "I-I…"

"Don't bother lying. I can read you like an open book." Her friend _tsked_ when Noel stubbornly protested. "Tell yourself whatever you want, but you know it yourself."

"I don't like him or anything." Noel insisted, shaking her head vigorously. So far, she had only experienced insatiable desire for him, and nothing more. She didn't bother to discern whatever might lurk below that burning desire. And she knew it was there without a doubt, something that was slowly and steadily growing in presence as she spent more time and got to know Eddie better. "It's probably because I haven't went out with anybody for so long that he appears to be a prime candidate. Which he is _not." _She added quickly when Lina smirked.

"Then I'm sure you won't mind if I snagged him for myself? He's a _hottie."_

When Noel bristled at her remark, Lina had to suppress a bubble of laughter. Noel had never been the jealous type, especially with her since they both agreed that boys were despicable and that one would never come between their friendship. The fact that she was so possessive over Eddie just proved how deep Noel had fallen, even if she refused to acknowledge it.

"I. won't. mind." Each syllabus seemed to be forced out angrily past her teeth.

"See what I mean?" Lina nudged Noel on the shoulder playfully.

Noel scowled at her, reached for her fluffy pillow – not exactly the ultimate weapon of destruction, but that was all she had at her disposal then and she wasn't picky as long as it wiped the smug look of Lina's face – and flung it at the most irritating person she had ever laid eyes on.

Bull's freaking Eye!

Spluttering at the unnecessary assault, Lina glared at her, although there wasn't any heat behind it. "I expected payment for the prank you want me to help you with, but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

Noel's lips twitched, her anger forgotten. How could she, when this was her friend of 13 years she was talking to? The one person who listened, comforted and joked with her. "I'm going shopping later. Want to tag along? I'll pay for whatever you want to buy."

Lina shook her head, her expression somber. "I don't want you to keep paying for everything."

_Urgh_! Noel admired her backbone, but sometimes, it was just frustrating. "Take it as an exchange. You do something for me, I do something for you in return." Noel said. She couldn't fathom why Lina won't just let her pay for everything. She was more than willing to shower her with whatever she needed.

Lina hesitated, and for a long dreaded moment, Noel worried that she would decline the offer like the rest. But she finally gave a nod. "Alright, but only this time. I don't want you to keep forking out money for me."

Noel nodded enthusiastically, overjoyed at finally having a chance to spend some quality time with Lina. "Get prepared then, we're leaving soon."

Lina inclined her head, her way of saying thanks, and left the room, leaving Noel alone to go over her plan one last time. She snatched the piece of paper off her desk, going over every single detail. There was no room for mistakes; everything must be executed to perfection down to the last step to ensure maximum satisfaction – for her, of course. She had already enlisted Lina's help and that was all she need.

Rubbing her hands together gleefully, she contemplated the idea of Eddie leaving in a huff after the prank. A weird pang immediately struck her at the thought of never having him again in her life. Frowning, she dismissed that notion without analyzing it. Just lack of sleep, she rationalized. She won't miss him, not with how he only brought out the worst in her.

_Yes, that's it._

She could hardly wait for dawn to arrive tomorrow.

For with the arrival of dawn, it might also bring the departure of Eddie.

* * *

><p><strong>AN : Hehe, any idea of what Noel has up her sleeve? **

**And will anybody like to see a happy ending for Lina as well? o_o **

**Anyway, thanks for reading and review please! **


	13. EddieNoel 12!

**A/N : A shorter, more light-hearted chapter. **

**More will be revealed about Lina in the chapters to come, as well as more fireworks between Eddie and Noel. Adrian and Rebecca? They took a vacation and won't be back for a pretty long time. Spencer King, however, just signed back onto the cast and will be making an appearance soon! **

**Since I've already listed most of the couples, let us ponder over something... **

**Noel Tarus (Moroi) and Eddie Castile (Dhampir)**

**Rebecca Ostaril (Human) and Adrian Ivashkov (Moroi) **

**Jill Dragomir (Moroi) and Spencer King (?) **

**Any ideas? I've already decided on Spencer's identity, and it will be pretty... unexpected. **

* * *

><p>Eddie was tempted to bang his head against the wall to bring it to full awareness and sanity. It was starting to seem like the only possible course of action to start acting like a sane human and not a hormone-laden teenager and be led around by his cock – even if it appears that only Noel has such an effect on him. A Guardian is supposed to protect his charge, for fuck sakes. Not fucking seduce and grind against them against a damned wall!<p>

He had always been able to keep his emotions and actions in check, but the moment Noel had stepped into the bathroom, he had noticed the flushing of her cheeks – was there a more adorable or arousing sight? – when she spotted him and all common sense had fled to a secluded corner of his mind.

_I probably don't need to remind you of your own personal code that you used to live by. Does 'Screw common sense, it doesn't get you laid' ring a bell?_

Eddie scowled. Great, now he was arguing with himself. Maybe pigs will fly next. _The keyword is used to, genius. _Admittedly, however, he had followed that philosophy for a great half of his life, the moment he had reached maturity and felt the urge… to well, fuck something. His smooth tongue and devious grin had earned him access between lots of girl's thighs where he proved on more than one occasion that his tongue wasn't only good at kissing or flirting.

Again, he thought about Noel's flawless skin. How it had felt under his fingertips, how smooth and… forbidden it was. Grunting in frustration at his helplessness towards warding off the prurient thoughts that was invading his mind, Eddie flung open the door and stalked outside.

He had some things to discuss with Leoric.

Since Noel found it so abhorrent to live next to him – fucking bitch! – he will follow her request and get another room. He had no intention of sleeping in a room next to her anyway. Really. It would just add salt to his wound. He already had no means of sating himself, and knowing that a warm, female body that he desperately wanted to sink into was just a door away?

Pure, fucking torture.

The first chance he got, he would attempt to find a willing female. Won't be too hard, considering the number of people helping around the house here. Most of the servants were surprisingly in their early twenties, finally something in his favor. And if he can't lure any of them with his charm – impossible, but he should always have a back-up plan – school began on Monday anyway. He can finally work his magic on the female population and hopefully nail some ass, cooling the burning desire.

Eddie walked down the corridor towards the stairs, giving the door to his right that led to Noel's room a wide berth. It was slightly ajar, and when he walked past, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her sitting on her desk, scribbling away furiously. Homework?

He snorted at the ridiculous idea of Noel actually doing homework. Nope, it was definitely something more… ominous. She was practically shooting out the vibes that screamed 'mastermind at work'. All that was missing was the evil laughter and eerie lighting.

Right on cue, a flash of lightning lit up the interior of Noel's pink – urgh, could she be any more predictable? – room briefly, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a telltale sign of the incoming storm. Ignoring the goosebumps breaking all over his skin, he squinted his eyes in a vain attempt to read what Noel was writing. With a Dhampir's superior eyesight, he could see fairly well even in the gloomy darkness.

… **carpet, water. Prepare all of the items stated above and leave them outside my room by – **

A tap on the shoulder broke his concentration. He swatted at the object of his irritation and tried to refocus on the sheet of paper. There was a second tap on his shoulder. Common sense returned in a flash, causing him to freeze.

_A fucking tap on his shoulder?_

"Uh hello? Anyone at home?" A feminine voice huffed out in obvious annoyance. "Knock, knock, anyone there?"

Eddie slanted a glance at the girl next to him, a tanned and petite girl that only reached his shoulders. Her black hair tumbled in curls down her shoulders, framing a cherubic face that neared feminine perfection. She was beautiful in an ethereal, untouchable way. And also disturbing his mission.

"Can you give me a second? I'm trying to solve a mystery here." Eddie caught the girl's wrist before she could knock against his skull to get his attention.

Her black eyes lit up with glee. "Mystery? I love mysteries! Where?" She wrenched her wrist free, then stood on tiptoes and peered over his shoulders, following Eddie's gaze onto the piece of paper Noel was scribbling on. "Oh, I don't think that's a wise idea."

"Oh?" Eddie murmured negligently, managing to discern some more words.

… **2am. Be as silent as possible, I don't want to give away the plan before it is even executed. Get everybody to gather below the stairs at 6 –**

"Excuuuse me? Didn't I just say that you shouldn't be doing that?" Eddie could hear the pout in her voice as she tugged at his wrist lightly. Experience – and he was never wrong when it came down to experience – told him that she was flirting with him and he actually, for the first time in his life, couldn't work up enough enthusiasm to flirt right back.

Wasn't he finding someone whom he could lose himself in? Well, Eddie probably just found the perfect candidate, except for the little problem about his lack of enthusiasm to do so. Something was definitely screwing with him, and Eddie had a pretty clear idea what – who – that was. Not that he would mind if Noel was screwing him mindless - in the sexual sense, that is.

_Not going to think about her, remember?_

"Fine, I'll stop looking," Eddie shrugged, turning his attention to the girl next to him. In an attempt to appear charming, he forced himself to add, "only because there's something better to look at."

She rolled her eyes. "Couldn't you come up with a better line? That's _so _lame."

Eddie hardly felt the sting of rejection, probably because he wasn't even trying to put any effort into the flirting. "It was all I could come up with in such a short time. Take it or leave it."

A wicked grin caused her full lips to curl, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "How about I knee it?"

Eddie narrowed his eyes as she advanced forward. "Try it, and I won't be responsible for what I would do to you."

She halted in her tracks, paused and tilted her head thoughtfully to the side. "You would actually hurt a girl?"

"All in the name of retaliation." Eddie answered darkly, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "Although I'd probably just make you kiss the hurt all better. Why make war when you can make love?"

"My, my," She arched an eyebrow, not the least affected by his words. "you sure know how to charm the pants off a girl." She made a wriggling motion with her hips and mimed the action of pulling her shorts off.

Eddie chuckled, holding out his hand. That definitely crossed the girl in front of him off his possible list of females to seduce. "Eddie."

"Lina," She shook his hand with a grin of her own. "You're the new Guardian." A statement, not a question.

"Yes."

"I hope you'll be sticking around long enough for me to get to know you better then. The Guardians in charge of Noel tend to have a pretty short life span." Lina winked at him, somehow making Eddie feel extremely uncomfortable. "I can already envision all the fun we will have making a fool out of you."

"We?" Eddie echoed dumbly, still struggling to figure out the meaning of her words but she had already slipped through Noel's door with a dainty wave of her hand, closing the door firmly shut behind her in a silent yet strong message of 'fuck off'.

Eddie shook his head, not exactly understanding the entire conversation he just had with the enigmatic Lina.

He gave a resigned sigh. _Girls, can't live with them, can't live without them. _Granted, not all of the female population are as frustrating as Lina, but as the old saying goes : Once an egg, always an egg. Wait, no, not that. That doesn't even exist, does it?

Alright, maybe his mind was a little scrambled at that moment.

_Scrambled. Egg. Hehe._

A little intellectual conversation with a girl normally elicited this kind of response from him; he was used to them responding dumbly with a 'yes, sure, why not?' rather than giving him a figurative finger by slamming a door shut in his face. Denying him both the pleasure of fucking them AND entering a room.

Figured that his brain couldn't take the overload of rejection and just shriveled up into a little, quivering, sulking ball.

_Wake up, asshole. I need you lucid for the little conversation with Leoric._

His brain gave a little whiny and called it a day.

_Fuck._


	14. EddieNoel 13!

**A/N : Thanks for the reviews, guys! Really appreciate the support.**

**Oh, one more thing. I've decided to merge all the stories into one story, which means that the whole series would fall under 'Fixing the Broken'. I'll have to do some rearrangements to the chapters, maybe deleting and putting them back to include prologues and epilogues. So if you see any missing chapters, just give me a day or two to fix everything. **

**I'll explain more in subsequent posts. For now, read and enjoy!**

**Edit : I'm changing the rating to M in the next chapter, after I upload a prologue and an excerpt. I feel pretty guilty about leaving it at T all the while :/**

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><p>Noel's ears had perked up the moment she heard a scuffling of footsteps nearing her door. Morois in general had better senses than humans, though it paled in comparison to that of Strigois. The muted fall of the footsteps had a distinctive ring to it, one that she instinctively recognized as Eddie's. Don't ask her exactly how she knew, she just did.<p>

She also knew immediately when Eddie was spying on her, which caused her to be highly self-conscious – something that she couldn't quite fathom. She had never paid another person's opinion of her any heed, but for better or worse, she _did _care about what he thought of her. Will he see her as a rich, spoilt brat like many others do? Or will he actually see through the façade to the girl inside that just sought for a little affection?

It won't matter in the end anyway. Noel knew for a fact that she would never risk heart break again, especially with someone like Eddie that had such an extensive past with girls. That little interlude they shared – just a moment of weakness, and nothing more. It will never happen again.

She felt a tinge of disappointment at the certainty of her words. Before she had a chance to question herself about that little emotion, she tensed as another set of footsteps neared the door of her room. This one was much more familiar, much lighter and more graceful. Lina's.

Lina's footsteps stopped close to her door, and a hushed conversation began. A sense of unease caused Noel to swivel around in her chair, straining to hear the words that were being exchanged. Why was Lina talking with Eddie anyway? Was she making a move on him?

Noel gripped the pencil tighter unconsciously, forcing herself to resume the re-evaluation of her masterplan and the note to give to her partners-in-crime. She almost managed to ignore the thinning sound of the chatter outside – hah, who was she kidding? It was as loud as thunder because of how hard she was concentrating to follow the conversation – when she heard a deep male chuckle, followed by airy feminine laughter.

The pencil broke into half. Her other hand holding down the paper fisted; taking the paper and crushing it within her palm.

This was unacceptable. And she meant the interaction between her Guardian and her most trusted friend outside, not her breaking her pencil due to the raging jealousy – which she so did _not _feel – coursing through her with shocking vehemence. The fire within her burned brighter, fed by the intensity of her emotions. A spark danced from her thumb to her index finger; a warning to tamp it down before she burnt the entire house down.

A warning she had every intention of listening to.

It would not be the first time she had turned a magnificent house to ash and cinder; she had done so several times. And almost every single time, save for one, she had accomplished it in her damn sleep. She was in the clutches of a recurring nightmare; something so terrifying it chilled her to her very core.

The most disturbing aspect of it was how life-like it was.

It always started out tranquil, a calm and peaceful location like the beautiful beach or the quiet forest. Then her surroundings would change, molding and shifting into an abyss, suffocating in its darkness and loneliness. All the time, she fought desperately to break out of it but to no avail. The nightmare refused to yield, squeezing what appeared to be the very life force out of her. Only when she was at the edge of her resistance will she finally wake up, screaming and with an inferno blazing around her.

That was the reason why the walls of her room were fire-resistant, along with almost every other furniture in her room.

It infuriated her – her inability to keep her elemental powers at bay. So much so that she didn't sleep more than what was deemed necessary. It was simple enough to exert dominance over her mystical abilities when she's conscious, but the moment sleep pulled her into its tangled web, she was at the mercy of her emotions and the cryptic appearance of her nightmares. Control was something she never easily relinquished, and the absolute lack of it made her feel weak.

Noel heard the door swing open and pretended to be fully occupied in smoothening out the wrinkles of the crumbled piece of paper.

"Trouble in paradise?" Lina's voice pierced the gloomy silence of the room like knife through butter. "The paper's still smoldering, by the way."

Noel glared at the offending object, charred at its edges, before flinging it into the bin. "What were you doing outside?" She asked sharply, unable to help the piercing tone of her voice. The remnants of her jealousy still churned in her stomach, making her queasy.

"Getting to know Eddie," Lina responded breezily.

The brisk way she answered – as if it was nothing important – angered Noel. "Why?" She grated out, all the while reining in her emotions. She didn't need another relapse of what happened just now. "Why did you feel the _need _to get to know him?" Even she was surprised at how bitchy she sounded.

There was a brief moment of silence before Lina sighed heavily. "You heard the entire conversation, don't deny it. It was nothing but friendly banter."

Noel knew Lina was right, but that did nothing to put out the fire inside her. Right then, she felt the need to release all her pent up frustration on the nearest possible source. But Lina had done nothing to court her wrath; quite the opposite actually. She had laughed off Eddie's advancements, even threatening his manhood. "He's my Guardian," Noel explained defensively, more for her benefit than Lina's. "I don't want him off his game by being in a relationship. My safety will be in jeopardy."

A smile lifted the edge of Lina's lips. "If that's how you rationalize your crushes, I won't be surprised if you have an explanation to why the paper was burning just now. Definitely not because you were jealous, right?"

Noel spun around, glaring at Lina who seemed to revel in teasing her. "I was _not."_

"Of course you weren't," Lina laughed loudly, her eyes sparkling. "I must be delusional for even thinking along that line."

"Have I mentioned how I detest your sarcasm?" Noel grumbled.

"Only every single day." Lina grinned before taking a glance at the time. "Your father asked me to relay a message to you."

Noel gave an imperial wave of her hand. "Go on, then."

Lina cleared her throat before talking in what must have been the most perfect imitation of her father's voice. "Tell Noel that she must attend the reunion tomorrow for I have invited a few relatives over who would like to meet you after so long. And the only way I would allow both of you to go out shopping at night is for Eddie to tag along. I will not compromise on that point."

Lina had not even finished her last sentence when Noel jumped to her feet, indignation a hot coating on her tongue. "What? I don't need his damn protection! I can take care of myself perfectly."

Lina raised an eyebrow at the contradiction of Noel's words, but felt that it would be wise not to point it out. Her friend was already at the brink of exploding, evident by the way sparks continued to jump from her fingers. She had only seen Noel do that when she was extremely agitated or downcast. It probably wasn't the best idea to talk to Eddie, especially when she had already caught on about how possessive Noel was of him – even if Noel refused to admit it.

Now, Noel was like a ticking time bomb, about to go off at the slightest provocation.

And she couldn't do anything about it.

"I'm this close" – Noel glared pointedly at the short distance between her thumb and index finger – "from throttling Eddie to death."

"It wasn't exactly his fault."

Noel made a sound of frustration, her cheeks fairly flushed from anger. She pushed herself off the chair, sending it skidding across the floor. "I don't care! I really want to hurt someone right now, and he's the only viable choice. Where the hell is he?" Heat radiated from her in waves, her pale skin glowing red in the darkness.

Lina just lifted an eyebrow, already accustomed to Noel's explosive temper. "I don't think you should take it out on Eddie – he's just following instructions."

"Save the talk, Lina. I'm far from rational now." Noel snapped, already storming to the door, in desperate need to vent the uncontrollable blaze within her. Who better than Eddie, the fucking bane of her existence? Things weren't so complicated until he arrived, bringing with him tenderness that melted her defenses and scorching kisses that left every cell in her crying for more.

_Ergh!_

A few rapid raps against the side of her wall broke her stride, causing her to freeze. Then the familiar gravelly voice of Eddie called out. "Keep it down over there, I'm trying to get some fucking sleep. Jeez, fucking women and their chit-chats."

That. Did. It.

Noel's thin patience snapped into two, replaced instantly by fiery rage. The heat she was emanating caused the paint on her wall to peel off, though the rest of her furniture remained unharmed. She conjured up a ball of fire in one of her hands without a second thought, dimly aware of Lina shouting and yelling for her to calm down in the background.

Calm?

Why did that word suddenly sound so foreign to her?

She found her feet steering her through the door, the haze of fury settling over her vision. One thing was for sure – she wasn't thinking clearly at all. Whenever she went into a fit of anger, she was far from lucid.

And the only agenda right then that she could figure out was to hurt, to maim, and to make Eddie pay for all he had done – or haven't done.

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><p><em>Jesus fucking Christ, who gave women the ability to talk?<em>

Eddie covered his ears with the pillow, fighting against his throbbing headache. The few aspirins he had swallowed earlier were starting to work its magic, but he still required a good rest to get rid of the headache totally.

And the racket next door wasn't exactly helping.

Finally, the din died down, giving him some peace of mind. His eyelids drooped, lethargy weaving a web around him, beckoning him to a well-earned rest.

That was when the door flew open, revealing a fuming Noel, her brown hair in tangles around her neck. Her emerald eyes were wide open, unconcealed fury in the depths. And was that fucking fireballs in her hands?

Eddie had not seen a more intimidating, or sexier, sight. His dick twitched.

_Down, boy. Not a good time now._

"Did I miss something?" He asked, eyes riveted to the writhing flames Noel had in her palms. Shit, she was a sight to behold – and to drool over. She wore a white tank top that paid proper homage to her generous breasts, also emphasizing the feminine curves of her waist. His dick stopped twitching, deciding instead to attempt to reach for her.

Noel didn't answer his question, but she did stalk over till she was just in front of his bed, towering over his resting form. "You are a pain in the fucking ass." She declared, her eyes narrowed at his nonchalance. Her body was rigid, tensed up like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. Eddie didn't miss the irony of that, considering how he was the predator just an hour ago.

"You're playing with fire there, Noel."

"What do you know about that?" She snapped, her patience obviously at the end of the thread. "The moment you arrived here, you have brought nothing but trouble and trouble and more trouble. Oh, did I mention trouble?"

"Yeah," Eddie answered dryly. "I think I heard you mention that word."

A flicker of irritation in her eyes. "I would gladly burn you to a fucking crisp, then throw your ashes into the fucking ocean."

"Kinky," Eddie chuckled, not the least worried about her threats. "Just the way I like it."

Murderous intent replaced the irritation. "Do. Not. Push. Me." She gritted out, the flames in the palm of her hands growing another inch. As did his dick.

_Fuck, does nothing about this girl turn you off? _

Eddie shifted uncomfortably, aware of the growing bulge in his jeans. _Appear unaffected, don't give her an advantage! _"Then what do you expect me to do?"

"Apologize," Noel anchored her hands on her hips, stretching the tank top against her chest further. Eddie almost groaned at the image of her, all domineering and demanding and undeniably arousing.

"I didn't do anything wrong." Eddie protested weakly, trying not to gape openly at the seduction incarnate standing in front of him. He propped himself up and rested his chin on the pillow, all the while not removing his gaze from Noel's face. Not that he could; he was entranced by her delicate facial features which he had the sudden urge to caress and kiss… and lick. As if sensing his thoughts, she nibbled lightly on her bottom lip, sending a wave of need so strong through Eddie that he would have fallen to his knees if he was standing.

"Eddie," She muttered uncertainly, her eyes wide with… confusion? "Eddie. Eddie!" Her voice grew in volume till Eddie finally snapped out of the sensual spell she had managed to trap him in. He shook his head wildly to dislodge the thoughts of what he would do to those plump lips. "Apologize. Now!" She demanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Bewildered, Eddie asked the first question that came to his addled mind. "What the hell got your panties into such a twist?"

Noel's eyes darkened to an ominous mossy green, and the next thing Eddie knew, his clothes were on fucking fire.


	15. EddieNoel 14!

"Fucking hell!" Eddie yelped in shock and jumped up from the bed, patting down the flames frantically to try to put it out.

And realized that he couldn't even touch them.

Neither could he feel the heat through the thin piece of fabric. The fire, however, was rapidly consuming the T-shirt he was wearing, along with his beloved pair of jeans that had went through thick and thin with him.

"What the fuck?" Eddie's head whipped up from the glowing flames and scowled at Noel, waiting for an explanation.

She just shrugged, though her cheeks were now flushed and she averted her gaze, finding the plain beige walls suddenly very interesting.

_Flushed? Oh fuck. _

Like Eddie had thought, the fire had accomplished its mission – pretty thoroughly too, he might add, for he was left in only his boxers, which did little to nothing to hide his still-growing erection. The cool breeze kissed his skin, making him even more – if possible – aroused.

"Put on some pants!" Noel cried, weaving her hands to and fro in the air, her eyes trained on the wall, her body stiff.

"You should have thought of that before you, oh I don't know, burned my fucking _clothes?" _Eddie growled, striding over to the closet. "Or maybe this was your intention all along? Sweetie, if you want me to remove my clothes, you could have just _asked, _I would be more than happy to comply."

Noel shook her head vigorously, eyes darting everywhere besides for him. Eddie wanted to grin in satisfaction; she was more affected by him than she will care to admit. "No, no! I was angry! I can't control myself."

"Hah," Eddie chuckled, stabbing his legs through another pair of worn jeans. "even when you're not in control of yourself, you unconsciously removed my clothes. That goes a long way in showing how much you desire me."

"Asshole," Noel sniped back, stomping her feet a few times on the ground to emphasize the message – and her still simmering anger.

His back still to Noel, Eddie couldn't contain his grin any longer. The image of the girl behind him with her rosy red cheeks and blabbering whenever she felt embarrassed. . . He would do anything to see it again.

And he had a pretty good idea what to do to make it happen.

"What? Did you catch a glimpse of that?" Eddie cursed silently as he pulled the jeans over his erection, almost groaning when the stiff material abraded against it. "Impossible, I was still in my boxers."

Success! Noel flushed a deep red once again, her mouth parting and closing without a single sound making it out. Finally, she pursed her lips and made a little _hmph _sound, folding her arms over her chest. "Does _everything_ turn you on?"

"You're changing the topic." He called out, still struggling with the zipper. _Why the fuck didn't I bring a pair of shorts? _"But I like the direction this discussion is heading." Eddie turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Everything about you turns me on."

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><p>A scandalous gasp escaped Noel's mouth before she could do anything to stop it and she stood there, gaping at her Guardian who had just said that as nonchalantly as a discussion about the weather. "W-What?"<p>

"You heard me," Eddie replied, his arms moving back and forth as he seemed to fidget with his… zipper? "I wasn't lying."

Tingles of delight – no, no! Not delight, revulsion, damn it! – fanned out from her chest, causing her to shiver. Of course, he could be lying. But why would he do that? To try to soften her and get her to sleep with him? Admitting to a potential bedmate how he or she turns you on is not exactly the best way of getting them into bed.

Gritting her teeth, Noel forced the thoughts aside. She did _not _care about what Eddie thought – or felt – for her. "Are you quite done with your zipper?" She snapped, her irritation before returning to envelop her embarrassment.

Eddie grunted in response, a tortured and throaty one. "Not quite."

"How hard could it be?"

Eddie leveled her with a scowl. "How about you do it for me then, Miss how-hard-could-it-be?"

Noel's heart skipped a beat at that preposterous offer and the declination was on the edge of her tongue before she knew it. But some part of her prevented her from immediately shooting him down.

A very, very naughty part of her that wanted to come out and play.

Noel never knew before that she was a masochist.

Well, with Eddie, everything was new to her.

Including the sparks that drew them together inexorably.

The only reason for her accepting the invitation was to show Eddie that she was no push-over and that she could hold her own. She wasn't some defenseless and timid girl, and maybe this will finally get that into Eddie's thick skull – and hopefully, he would convey that message to her father. Well, at least that was the only reason that Noel could come up with, besides for her actually _wanting _to do it.

She did not just think that.

"You know what? I think I will." Noel glared back at Eddie, noting with glee how the confidence and challenge slowly faded from his eyes, replaced by confusion.

"What are you talking about?" He demanded, swerving around to raise his hands, palm upwards as if to ward her off. Noel's gaze dropped to where the jeans hung loosely from his hips, the zipper resting below the bulge in his boxers.

A very _big _bulge.

She swallowed.

_Confidence! Don't let anything scare you! _Pushing her fears aside, she walked forward towards Eddie who started to back up against the dresser. "What the hell, Noel? I was just kidding!"

"Well, I'm not." She answered, glad that her voice sounded strong. "You can always back out now if you're too scared." Noel lifted her head in challenge.

"Scared?" Eddie's eyes gleamed. "I promise you, Noel, fear is not what I'm feeling right now."

"Then hold still and let me do it."

* * *

><p>Eddie's breath hitched in his throat as Noel shimmied forward, her hips swaying with every step. When she knelt down in front of him, Eddie swore he stopped breathing totally. "Don't you think that kneeling down is a little unnecessa – "<p>

Then, Noel's fingers touched his cock through the thin fabric of his boxers.

Eddie hissed out a heated breath.

Noel stilled, looking up uncertainly. "D-Did I hurt you?"

"N… No." He shook his head, trying to regulate his breathing. "Hurry up."

Noel's expression hardened and her lips tightened into a tight line. "So much for being gentle!" With a hand forcing Eddie's erection down – Eddie gasped at the sudden contact – Noel yanked up the zipper with all her strength.

And Eddie basically just screamed like a little girl.

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><p><strong>AN : POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR EDDIEEEEEE**

**Oh, and review please! :D**


	16. EddieNoel 15!

**A/N : Sorry, no lemons yet. I need to give you guys a little more information - a little sneak peek, if you want to consider it that - into what you can expect in the future. Yes, there is a plot, it's not all romance and sex. This plot will be interlinked throughout all four books. The characters will be interlinked too, as you can see from this chapter here ;)**

*****Hint, hint, check the couple list I made sometime back. (Chapter 11, EddieNoel 10)**

**Edit : Oh yes, yes! I forgot to mention this, but I have a new story titled The Sweetest Surrender. It's a story for Rose and Dimitri, as well as Christian and Lissa. Go and check it out if you like my style of writing! It's going to have as much sizzling tension as well as attraction ;D**

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><p>Teranium Corporations owned a high-rising building in the heart of New York City, a towering structure that did not differ much from the others around it. It produced and exported large amounts of titanium and the profits they receive from the sales were decent, not alot but not too little neither. Some people, however, have been wondering since the company's establishment on how it could have managed to pay off the construction cost of their elaborate headquarters.<p>

Others were more dismissive about how they managed to dig up the money.

Some suspicious rivals of Teranium Corporations had tried to tarnish its glorious reputation by probing deeper into its history, attempting to unearth some evidence that they had used illegal means to set themselves up so they can be discredited, hence forfeited from the market competition.

The agents hired and sent to do exactly that were never heard of again.

After another few years of fruitless antics, Teranium Corporations was finally left alone. The speculation died down as well, giving the Chairman, Kaldr Kraille a peace-of-mind after long last.

All the people who knew Kaldr through business relations or deals would depict him as a quiet, demure man that had a brilliant mind at manipulating stocks and procuring what he desired. On further questioning, they would also reveal that he exuded an aura of power that intimidated most people.

Along with another extremely interesting fact – he had eyes of the brightest garnet.

Now, Kaldr stood looking out of the tinted glass panes of his office, his hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed smartly in a black suit, tailored specifically for his broad frame. The two men behind him sitting on the couches were dressed similarly. It would have looked like some sort of conversation to settle a business deal to most, but the more observant ones will have noticed the tell-tale bulges in the two men's suit that suspiciously resembled the sleek model of a Desert Eagle.

"I hope this is good news." Kaldr said in a deceptively formal tone, though both men caught the undertones of authority and power in it.

One flinched; the other didn't even bat an eyelash. "Yes," The latter said, his tone equally cold. "we have discovered their whereabouts – the outskirts of town."

Kaldr pivoted around to face the men, anticipation a living entity inside of him. He was so close… "I don't care what you have to do; just bring one of them to me."

The former adjusted his tie uneasily, loosening it as if it was suddenly too warm. "The area is heavily fortified and monitored around the clock by state of the art equipment, it won't be po – "

"Are you telling me that you are unable to do it?" Kaldr interrupted sharply, his eyes honed in on the practically trembling man. Pulling back his lips just the slightest bit, he let the human in front of him catch a glimpse of his fangs. "Because if you can't, you have outlived your purpose. I'm sure that I don't need to enlighten you on what I do to people who fall into that unfortunate category."

The man gulped, while his companion beside him sprawled his form over the couch, not looking the slightest bit concerned. "It's not impossible, just exceptionally complicated. We will try our best."

Kaldr nodded coolly. "I hope you succeed, for I don't take failure well."

The man gave a jerk nod of his head, pushing himself up to his shaky knees. "I-If that's all, I'll take my leave – "

"No," Kaldr gave a shake of his head, gesturing for him to sit back down. "I want an update on your operations and how it is proceeding. Have you gotten any information about the Dragomirs?"

A glint of triumph leaped into the balding man's eyes, and he smiled like a delighted child. "Yes, yes. Of course. There's a Halfling you might be interested in; her blood might be diluted, but she is definitely a Dragomir, offspring of Eric himself."

There was a flicker of surprise that flashed across Kaldr's face before he schooled his emotions once again, leaving behind a blank expression. "That is… interesting. What is her name?"

"Jill," The man announced gleefully. "Jill Dragomir."

"What of Vasilisa Dragomir, then?"

The man made a face. "Too heavily guarded. She is the queen, after all. Jill Dragomir, on the other hand, is a much easier target as she makes frequent trips outside with only a few Guardians for protection."

The man next to him who had been silent all the while spoke up. "There is no time for this small talk. Night is falling; my men are ready to move out. We will continue this later."

Kaldr stopped him by raising his palm. "Hold on, Spencer. I have received information that there would be no need to infiltrate the Tarus' home."

Spencer raised his eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"They are heading out to a nearby mall to make some purchases."

"Is your source trustworthy?"

"Are you doubting me?" Kaldr slanted Spencer a stare, the unsaid threat hanging thickly in the air. The balding man, Rasika, wiped at a droplet of sweat uncomfortably.

Spencer returned the stare without any outward reaction. "Of course not. I would just like to make sure. We have the element of surprise on our side; I don't wish to lose that advantage by failing to capture her on our first try."

Kaldr made a mental note to get rid of Spencer once he had accomplished all his assigned missions. "Understandable, though the next time you challenge my authority again, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Spencer gave a curt nod. "Message me the details. I will go and get ready."

"One last thing, Spencer," Kaldr said. "Remember that she has control over fire; do not underestimate her. She is a Tarus, after all."

Spencer, in the middle of opening the door, stopped and looked over his shoulder. There was a confident smile on his face. "Noel won't burn me a second time. This time, _she _will burn."

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><p><strong>So what do you think is going on? :) Complications, complications...<strong>

**Cookies to anybody who can guess correctly! **


	17. EddieNoel 16!

**A/N : Hey guys! I'm trying really hard to find time to write these stories, and that goes a long way in saying how much I enjoy writing this particular story. It's after all, going to be a very long series, with a interesting storyline that will have twists along the way. Anyway... Will anybody actually want to see Sascha and Treckle's story? It'll be a short one, a slight deviation at the end of this story in preparation for the next continuation to this series. So? Please tell me, or I'll leave it out. **

**And I swear to god Sascha and Treckle's story will be burning hot ;) **

**Remember to review!**

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><p>The sky, painted a hue of orange and red by the setting sun, was one of the most entrancing sights Eddie had ever seen. Being in the Vampire Academy at Montana had starved him of such beauty, and he drank in the scenery like a thirsty man would a glass of water.<p>

A cool breeze brushed across his face, the air becoming chilly due to the onset of night. He tugged on a windbreaker, sliding his arms into the sleeves, all the while watching the two girls chatting and giggling. The two girls he was in charge of protecting – with his life.

Treckle beside him followed the direction of his gaze and gave a deep chuckle. He was dressed equally casually as Eddie, wearing a plain white T-shirt and pair of jeans so as to not attract unwanted attention. "Quite a handful, aren't they?"

"Who? Noel?" Eddie asked, slanting the Guardian he was working with that night a glance. His balls still ached – a pointed reminder of how the person in question had ruthlessly zipped him up. Still, his cock had reacted to her touch, even if it was in such a hazardous situation. His sexual frustration was slowly building from all their interactions, and he had better find some way to release all of it – and fast.

He was already skirting the edges of his control.

"And Lina." The older Guardian plowed a hand through his messy blonde hair. In his late-twenties, he had the looks of a hardcore surfer with his lean physique and pretty face. "They tend to be a problem together."

A bubble of feminine laughter as Sascha stepped out of the house, dressed demurely in a turtleneck and jeans. "Correction – they're always a problem together." She stepped off the porch, gesturing for them to follow her. "Come on, we've got to get moving."

The trio marched to the car and Eddie had difficulty cramping his tall frame into the small, compact space of the backseat. Sascha had no such problems; she slid into the leather seats with a feline grace that Eddie found surprising.

Treckle swore when the top of his head collided with the hood. "Son of a bitch!"

Eddie couldn't help it; he laughed. He received a baleful glare in return.

The trip to the shopping mall will take roughly twenty minutes, where Eddie conversed with the two other Guardians put on duty with him. It was an enlightening experience, having two more experienced Guardians tutoring him and giving him advice. Still, even with his participation in the conversation, he was highly aware of Noel sitting in the seat just in front of him, her scent – fire and rain blended into one intoxicating concoction – surrounding him; enveloping him.

Arousing him.

His abused appendage stirred to life.

_Dear Gods, _he cursed inwardly at his bodily reaction, shifting subtly in his seat to better accommodate his erection. _Now is hardly the time._

As if sensing his uneasiness, Treckle shot him a look, mischief etched in every single groove on his face. "You're officially Noel's Guardian now." He said in a professional, reporting tone. "How do you feel?"

_Aroused. _"Erm, excited. And a little scared about how I might perform." Eddie answered, trying to maintain his fragmenting composure.

Sascha glared at Treckle before giving Eddie a warm smile, her face lighting up, making her change from beautiful to gorgeous. "You'll do fine, Eddie." She gave him a light pat on the shoulder; an act of encouragement that Eddie appreciated a lot.

Another small movement to the right as Eddie fidgeted to hide the somewhat obvious bulge of his jeans.

Of course, Treckle had to be paying attention to him out of the corner of his eyes. Of course, he had to notice how Eddie was fidgeting. "Something bothering you, Eddie?" He smirked, his eyes gleaming with delight at having found a way to get back at him after Eddie had laughed at the little incident of his head meeting metal.

Sascha swung her head towards Eddie, frowning with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's stellar." Eddie murmured, making a note to murder Treckle later in his sleep. _Slowly_. He crossed his right leg over his left leg, fingers drumming against his thighs as he stared studiously forward, trying to make himself seem as insignificant as possible.

Of course, he failed.

Treckle's gaze flitted briefly to land on the tautness below the waist of his jeans, a knowing grin spreading across his face just moments after in amusement. "Oh, I see the problem now."

Sascha glanced at Eddie, then to Treckle, then back to Eddie, her forehead marred with lines of confusion. "Someone care to fill me in?"

"Oh," Treckle drawled, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement, "I'm pretty sure Eddie can _fill _you _in_, alright. Only if you grant him access though."

Sascha's eyes flicked immediately to the bulge in Eddie's jeans he was desperately trying to conceal, and to her credit, she seemed unruffled. If just a little amused as well, judging from the twitching of her lips. "I sure hope I'm not the reason for that little . . . problem of yours."

Eddie, mortified, covered his face with his hands. "Don't worry; you're not the cause of it." Then, realizing he had just been insulted – even if it wasn't intentional – he scowled at the Guardian sitting next to him. "And it's not _little."_

Sascha laughed, holding one hand, palm outwards in a placating gesture. "I never meant it that way." She tapped her fingers against her chin thoughtfully, giving him a piercing look. "Who, then?"

"The million dollar question," Eddie grumbled, keeping his gaze carefully positioned so as not to face the seat directly in front of him – with the girl that had brought his blood south reclining in it.

Treckle was about to speak – no doubt with a smart-assed remark – when the driver called over the speakers to tell them that they had arrived at the shopping mall. Covering an impressive amount of land, the mall that Noel had specifically chosen was a few stories high, decorated with streamers and large, golden bells for the arrival of Christmas.

A towering Christmas tree laced with even more decorations greeted Eddie as he stepped out of the limousine, the tree sparkling with lights and adorned with a gigantic, eye-catching, glittering star at the top of it. Toddlers danced and giggled under the monstrosity that was the Christmas tree; couples held each other's hands as they whispered secretively to each other, lost in their own little world they have created.

Sascha walked up next to him. "Wonderful, isn't it?" She commented, though Eddie didn't miss the trace of wistfulness in her otherwise cheerful tone.

"You miss it, don't you?" Eddie inquired, and when Sascha raised an eyebrow at him, he explained. "The life before you became a Guardian; before you dedicated your life to serving and protecting."

"My, you are quite the perceptive one, aren't you?" The female Guardian smiled ruefully. "Don't tell Treckle though, he would make sure that he found a way to get me back to my old, boring life."

"Something between you two that I don't know about?" Eddie asked. He had noticed how the two seemed to be avoiding each other, evident by how Treckle now leaned against the limousine instead of being with them, though his eyes were narrowed at them. And in the car, the atmosphere between the two had been tense.

"It's nothing." Sascha shrugged off the question, though the clenching of her jaw suggested otherwise. "Let's go, Noel and Lina are already walking off."

Clearly refusing to reveal any more information about the relationship – or lack of it – between her and Treckle, Sascha walked off. Eddie was about to follow when a strong hand grabbed his right hand, jerking him back. Instinct had him reaching for his stake before he even blinked, and he spun around to face his adversary to find himself face to face with –

Treckle.

"What the fuck, man? You scared me half to death." Eddie snapped, his heart beat returning to normal.

Treckle's expression, though, remained emotionless and inscrutable. "Do you have any interest in Sascha?" Cold, pragmatic words, but the fury in his tone betrayed him. Eddie noticed how rigid he held himself; how his hands were fisted.

Yeah, the two of them definitely had something going on.

"No," Eddie answered truthfully. He hadn't even considered charming Sascha with his allure, despite all her exotic beauty and gentleness.

Treckle searched his face for signs of a lie, but what he saw clearly satisfied him as his mask of anger slipped. He scrubbed a knuckle down the side of his face with a weary sigh. "I'm sorry, I don't tend to be rational when it comes to – " He pursed his lips then, giving his head a hard shake. "Let's get moving."

Eddie gave a nod, doing Treckle a favor by not pursuing the matter further. He wanted to laugh though; Sascha and Treckle were definitely at some sort of impasse. Then he sobered, remembering the situation he was stuck in himself.

And realized that it wasn't much different at all.


	18. EddieNoel 17!

**Heeeey. Sorry for the slow updates, I'm feeling really guilty since I'm putting in more effort into another story :/ but anyway, I'm determined to finish this series as I really think that the storyline is going to be really, really mindblowing. Ain't even joking. Even I'm a little shocked that I could come up with something like this. **

**Okayokay, no more long ass author notes that most of you don't even bother to read! **

**And, one last thing, I'm going ahead with Sascha and Treckle's story, hence a little more elaboration about their mysterious relationship in this chapter. Cheers!**

* * *

><p>Noel was fuming, literally and figuratively.<p>

She had tried to ignore how Eddie was talking expressively with the other Guardians – specifically Sascha – as she couldn't hear the conversation through the thick sheet of glass meant to offer privacy. However, the moment Sascha had touched Eddie's nose in a teasing manner, her face bright with amusement, Noel had almost snapped with the anger roiling inside of her, perilously close to unleashing an inferno within the confines of the car that would have turned everybody to ashes.

Besides for her, who had a natural shield to the cataclysmic effects of her wild fire.

And that was the perfect word to describe the flames she can conjure with only a single thought; wild. The control she required to fully gain mastery over the mystical conflagration remained elusive.

Only with Lina's help had she managed to calm down, regaining a semblance of control over the writhing flames within her, putting them out.

Now, she stood with Lina in the middle of the square bustling with the festive spirit, trying not to look too gloomy to fit into the crowd. Her anger, being quick to ignite and slow to ebb away, made her somewhat restless, and she found herself scanning the area for Eddie, wanting to know whether he was still with Sascha.

_Of course he is, stupid! He's on duty with her! _

That particular thought did nothing to soothe the remaining embers of her rage.

Gritting her teeth, Noel forced her attention back to their current task – locating her friends. She had received a message from Scarlet only moments ago that she, too, had arrived at the mall and would meet them under the Christmas tree. Rachel and Tiara were still on their way.

Tugging at Lina's hand, Noel located Scarlet's stunning garnet hair that glittered from the soft glow of the Christmas ornaments hung all over the Christmas tree.

"Noel!" Scarlet called out when her eyes landed on them, delight in those soulful eyes as she walked forward and pulled Noel into an embrace. "I'm so glad to see you again."

Scarlet's contagious cheerfulness dragged Noel out of the abyss of darkness she was gradually slipping into, a grin spreading across her face. "It's great to see you too."

Scarlet then turned to address Lina, cocking her head slightly as she surveyed her. "And who is this gorgeous friend you brought along?"

Lina, already clearly smitten by Scarlet, extended a hand as she smiled and introduced herself. "Lina."

Scarlet nodded in response, then raised an eyebrow at Lina's outstretched hand. "No need to stand on ceremony!" She laughed and drew a Lina into a hug too. Lina squealed at the unexpected show of affection, then patted Scarlet's back awkwardly.

Noel watched the exchange with amusement, knowing that Scarlet tended to be a wee bit overwhelming with her openness. After all, she had been on the receiving end just a few years back, and she had nearly labeled Scarlet for a mental patient when she had kissed her on the cheeks freshman year in greeting.

"There they are!" A distant familiar voice caught Noel's attention, and she swiveled around to spot Rachel and Tiara sauntering towards them with equally vibrant smiles on their face.

Ah, guess Christmas _does _really bring out the best in everyone.

Eddie watched his charges from afar, arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the supporting beam outside the entrance of the shopping mall. It was a deceptively casual pose, though his eyes never ceased scanning the shifting crowd for any signs of danger or anybody that might pose a threat too Noel's safety.

Shifting his gaze momentarily, he tapped the earpiece on his ear lightly before speaking. "I'm in position."

There was an affirmation almost instantly from Sascha, reporting in, who was sitting just a distance away from the girls on a bench. A burst of static, followed by Treckle's gruff confirmation that he too, had taken up his post.

"You're new at this, Eddie, so here's a little bit of advice." Sascha's gentle voice in his ear. "Don't act on impulse and only intervene when it appears that Noel really needs help. She can, contrary to what you think, defend herself quite well if the need ever arises."

Eddie nodded, then almost slapped himself when he realized that she couldn't see the gesture. "Noted."

"Another thing," Treckle. "Noel doesn't like being monitored, and hates it even more when she sees us doing it. So just stay out of her line of sight."

"What's her problem?" Eddie murmured to himself.

"Er, Eddie, we can hear you." Laughter in Sascha's voice. "But you're right, I wonder about that too sometimes. Apparently, she doesn't like feeling as if she needs to be protected."

"But she _does." _He argued, frowning at the image of Noel being able to defend herself. Definitely doesn't coincide in with her delicate profile.

"Some women don't want to be protected." Treckle's words, soft yet fierce with an underlying emotion to it that Eddie couldn't quite discern. "They might even push you away if you try to."

A long, drawn out minute of pregnant silence followed the enigmatic words.

Then, Sascha sighed wistfully. "Treckle, let's not do this now."

A moment of contemplation before he agreed. "Yes, now isn't the time." A pause. "But mark my words, Sascha, we _will _talk about this." Quiet, implacable words.

Sensing Sascha's distress, Eddie broke in to dissolve the tension. "Hey, guys, they're moving into the mall now." Which meant that they were moving in his general direction, and he had to get away from there and take up a new surveillance position.

Weaving himself through the crowd, Eddie found the perfect spot - a small space between a potted plant and a protruding metal girder connected to the glass panes that made up the exterior of the elaborate shopping mall. A pretty shady spot, but with earpieces plugged into his ears and his hoodie zipped up, he appeared more of an ignorant teenager enjoying his music rather than a Guardian ready to stake a Strigoi through the fucking heart.

"They just entered the compound." Treckle said, all business again. "I don't see anybody following them."

Sascha relayed similar information, so Eddie took up a relaxed stance against the cool metal surface and watched as Noel stepped into the mall, so damned beautiful that it made his heart ache in a way he had never experienced before. And to think that he had had his hands all over her sweet curves when he had kissed those lush lips…

Hello again, erection.


End file.
